


Illusions For A Runaway

by mizufallsfromkumo



Category: Common Law
Genre: Alternate Universe - 1930s, Alternate Universe - Circus, Illusionist!Travis, M/M, Runaway!Wes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-22
Updated: 2013-07-07
Packaged: 2017-11-26 09:58:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 27,612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/649372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mizufallsfromkumo/pseuds/mizufallsfromkumo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's 1934 and Wes lives an expected life. He does things because he's expected too, and everyone around him is happy. But he doesn't want it. A week before his graduation from law school he runs without thinking. His escape takes him to a train with a circus, and an Illusionist bent on teaching him some tricks.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Unexpected Escape from the Expected

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, this is my first story here, so hopefully I can figure everything out. I hope you all like this idea because I'm super excited about this idea.

“I can’t believe your graduating in a week,” Alex said, giving his hand a small squeeze as they walked down the street. “Your father’s counting down the days till you join the firm, and everyone’s more than annoyed with his constant reminders.”

Wes made a sound in reply, faking a smile, but not trusting any possible word that could come out of his mouth. His father was ecstatic that Wes was graduating from law school, so was his mother, but Wes not so much. It’s not that he didn’t enjoy law, or debating, he just didn’t want to be a lawyer, because he was expected to be. Even though his family was old money for the most part, the Mitchells were a long line of lawyers. Being the first-born and only child, it was expected of him to be as such. Wes wanted to be his own person; however he didn’t know what the meant for him exactly. 

Still Wes knew he shouldn’t complain. His family was actually financially stable despite the Depression. At least he could afford to go to school, thanks to his parents. To their luck they were still coming out in the positives, even if it wasn’t the most ideal amount. An education is an education through.

If Alex noticed the smile was fake she didn’t say anything about it, which Wes was thankful for. She just carried on talking about the office life and the piles of work she has to do because no one seemed to know how to type. 

Alex was the secretary at his father’s firm, _Mitchell Law_ , one of the best ones they’ve ever had, his father would praise. She knew Wes wasn’t exactly jumping up and down to be a lawyer, but he does it any way. The two had met crossing paths one day in the firm halls. Wes had been there to argue with his father about something, and he had practically rammed into Alex as he stormed out of his father’s office. After that, there was a few dates, before they deemed their courting official. Alex family couldn’t be happier, and neither could Wes’ parents so it felt like a win, instead of something he was just expected to do.

“You know, despite everyone else at the firm being annoyed by the fact of your graduation, I’m actually quite excited.” Alex said gleefully beside him. Her tone caused Wes to turn and look at her with a raised eyebrow.

“And why is that?”

“Because that means I’m one step closer to actually being your wife.”

“Who says I want to marry you?” Wes teased easily, laughing as Alex gave him a sharp shove. “Let me get a job first.”

“You have one at the firm.” Alex said taking his hand again.

“Yeah, but that’s being given to me, I want to compete for one.” Wes sighed. 

Again, it was expected that Wes would work at his father’s firm; it didn’t matter if anyone offered him anything better. _Mitchell Law_ was a family business and it would stay in the family, or God help them the world might crumple. Wes didn’t feel like it was fair. Most of his classmates were going to have to compete for their jobs, while Wes gets his on a silver platter. Besides it wasn’t like there were already educated people out of the streets just looking for something to do.

Alex rolled her eyes. “You can be so picky sometimes.”

Wes gave a snort in reply, but he didn’t answer her back. The rest of the walk back to Alex’s house was quiet. Peaceful, aside from the evening noise of people hurrying home and closing shop for the day. He dropped off at her doorstep, accepting the small peck she gave him on the cheek and went on his way.

However he didn’t head straight home. No, he really wanted to prolong having to face his father’s questions about his classes, and the nightly drilling of laws that took place in his study over a drink that had just recently become legal again. It’s a ritual ever Mitchell father did with their son once they could turn thirteen. Wes was tired of the whole thing. Yes, there were a long list of pluses that went along with it, but Wes really just wanted to sit in his room and contemplate his looming graduation.

He always wanted to graduate from college, and have a degree to show the amount of work he put himself through so he could get a job, but he didn’t want to be a lawyer. Maybe when he was younger, Wes hardly remembers when he actually enjoyed discussing law with his father, but not now. Of course, he didn’t exactly know what he wanted to do with his life, seeing as how the law and being a lawyer had been pounded into his head. Being a lawyer is just the expected safety net that would catch him.

Countless careers had flirted with him over the course of his life. All of them frowned upon by his mother; she was slightly more open to hearing what he might want to do with his life, than his father. However in the end, Wes was fenced in on the path to being a lawyer. He kicked a rock as the mental image came to him. Honestly, he couldn’t think of a better way to describe it, aside from glass walls barricading him in, or a caged path. Didn’t matter what kind of fence it was, it just made Wes sympathize with trapped, domestic animals. It only took one small opening, and Wes was sure he would wiggle through it, he was that desperate.

A train whistle suddenly knocked him from his thoughts, slamming him back to his surroundings. Apparently his thinking and walking had led him to the train yard, and he didn’t even notice. He had walked in the complete opposite direction of his house, and his father was probably going to kill him for coming home so late. Wes wasn’t sure exactly how much he cared about the fact. The shouts of whatever train workers are far too interesting for him to not sneak a peek.

He worked his around some train cars, keeping in the shadows as he watched some built men loading up a cart. As much as he can see it’s just supplies, grains and such. He couldn’t really make it out, or if the train even belonged to a company. He surveyed the workers till the finished loading the cart, and start walking away to another. Wes watched them leave before turning back to the car, he didn’t know why but he did, and he saw his opening.

The men hadn’t shut the door the whole way. It probably wasn’t the best opening Wes could find, nor was it a practical one. A week till was graduating and a train with a distention to God knew where, and Wes was seriously considering taking it. The only thing he knew about was if he hurried in, he wouldn’t have to be a lawyer.

So he ran for it, he didn’t think about it after that thought. He hurried into the car, closing the heavy car door as much as he could, and prayed the men wouldn’t notice if they came back. He hid among the supplies, buried deep in the shadows, willing himself to not think himself out of this, at least not till the train was moving and he was trapped till it stopped where ever it was going.

“You are so lucky you it actually clicked shut.” A voice said outside the cart, Wes covered his mouth out of instinct. “Sutton would have had your ass if the door flew open ‘cause you ‘remember shutting it’.” 

“Shut up Marks! How do I know you didn’t just pull this to make me look bad?” Another said in reply as something rattled against the door. “Now it’s secure.”

“I’m not that mean, Clyde,” the first voice said with a laugh.

The two voices eventually went away, laughing and talking about things Wes didn’t understand, leaving Wes in the dark with the supplies. He hoped he the train was going somewhere worth it, otherwise he left his life with Alex, his insured future, and family behind for nothing.


	2. It's like a Circus

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter, I really like writing this! Also, Wes is about 25 and Travis is 28-29 in this story. Because I said so.

It was very safe to say that Wes was a bit of planner.  Considering the times, Wes didn’t see that being a bad thing exactly.  He wouldn’t make a big decision without making sure that all his ducks were in a row.  Hell he hardly made simple decisions without thinking about it for a few minutes to make sure that it was what he really wanted or needed.  

Escaping his life was a huge damn decision, and Wes didn’t even think about.  He just hopped on a storage car of train he had no idea what it was or where it was going.  He deserted a practically perfect life, even if it was basically mapped out for him; at least he knew what he was going to do with it.   Not to mention he just left Alex like it was nothing.  Why the hell had the train been so appealing?  Easy, it had the possibility of a new life, an adventure.  A life where his father would be miles away and Wes could be whatever the hell he wanted to be without being judge.   To someone using half their brain that was appealing, but it was also the stupidest thing he could have ever done.

Wes groaned, burying his face in his hands.  There was no turning back now, he was locked in the train cart till the train stopped.  Stopped somewhere he was unfamiliar with.  He had about ten dollars in his wallet, which if he was lucky might be able to get him home depending on where the train stopped.  But at least he could attempt to go home, say something spur of the moment happened, and he stupidly just went.  His father would be pissed with him, Alex might have something to say, but at least they would take him back if he admitted it was idiotic and he wouldn’t do it again.  Besides, an adventure really never hurt anyone too much.

Wes managed to calm down a bit the more realized he could just head home once the train stopped.  Nothing but a little damage to his relationships, but nothing too harmful he hoped.  He made himself comfortable among the supplies and allowed the car to rock him to sleep.

* * *

Something dripped on his forehead, causing Wes to stir a bit.  A few more drops followed, and Wes cracked an eye open, it would be his luck that day that he feel sleep under a leak in the roof.    However, he didn’t hear any rain; he heard something like some smothering some chuckled.  He opened his eyes a bit more, his brain taking a while to assess the looming figure over him.  They were holding something that seemed to be causing the drips on his head.

The moment he noticed it was rather built man, he scrambled away, cursing as his back ran into to the sack of oats that he was using for a pillow.  He hardly moved away from the man.  He cursed in his head.  

The man chuckled, and in the little light, Wes could make out the wide smile on the man’s lips.  “Look at that boys, he is alive.”  The man said his voice gravelly like he drank and smoked too much.  There were some laughter behind him, and Wes can make about at least three other people behind him.  Just great.  “Sutton really doesn’t like free loaders.”  The man said reaching for him.

Wes swallowed, trying to get his voice to work; he didn’t know what to say.  Technically he was a free loader, even though he really never meant to be.  He remembers the lack of thinking that went into his whole plan.  Words had failed him as the man roughly grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and pulled him up, Wes had no choice but to follow.

“Maybe he’s some creep after Kate.”  One of the other men said, as much as Wes could tell he was the one holding the light.

“Who?”  Wes asked desperately, his head was spinning, and he’s really come face to face with his own stupidity. 

“He’s certainly dressed too nice to be a freeloader, maybe he is after Kate.”  The first man said again, ignoring him and hosting Wes up a bit so his toes were only slightly touching the floor.  “You after Kate?”

Wes looked at him confused for a split second.  The only Kate, or rather Katharine, but she preferred Kate, that Wes actually knew was an eight year old girl who was the daughter of one of his older cousins.  Wes was pretty sure she was not on a train with people like this, and he for sure was not some creep going her.  “I have no clue who you’re talking about.”

“Don’t play dumb.”  The man snapped shaking Wes a bit.

“I’m _not_ playing dumb!”  Wes insisted.  “I swear, the only Kate I know is an eight year old girl, and I’m pretty sure they are not the same Kate you know.”  He held his hands up in surrender, like maybe the man would put him down and they could be reasonable about everything.  Wes really doubted that was going to happen.  “I’ll admit I’m kind of freeloading, but I didn’t plan on it, I just…did it.”  Wes gave the man the most awkward innocent smile he felt he could muster without looking like someone who was lying out of their ass so they could stay.

The man holding him started at him.  There was a hard look to him, like he had seen a lot of horrible things in his life.  It drove a bit of fear into Wes.  If the man tried anything, Wes still felt like he could handle himself, against him, but he didn’t know how long he could hold up if the three other men got involved, though one of them was rather scrawny. 

“Open the door,” the man said turning to three men behind him.  The larger man who hadn’t said anything yet, hurried to the side of the car and ripped open on of the sliding doors.  Wes’ eyes widened and he turned to the man holding him.  “Out you go.”

“But the train’s still moving!”  Wes shrieked, scrambling for something to grab onto.  He kicked about violently, shoving at the man’s wrist, however all it did only made the man seemed to get more and more upset with him.

“Not my problem.” 

“You could kill me!”

“Not our problem.”  The second man said with a grin. 

“Last time I checked that’s murder.”  Wes said still fighting against the hold on his collar.  He noticed the third man was about to say something, and Wes rolled his eyes.  “Save it.”  The man gave him a dirty look and Wes gave him a sharp glare in return.

The cold morning air, hit Wes hard, driving a shiver down his spine.  The sky seemed to be to be brightening as the sun rose, but Wes had no clue what that could possibly mean for the time.  The man grinned sickly, and allowed Wes’ feet to touch the floor more, before dangling him a bit more over the edge.   Wes wondered if the man was a fan of torture or something, or maybe he just seemed to be having too much fun with Wes’ horrified reactions.  Wes didn’t know, and he really hoped it was neither.  He really didn’t want to be tossed out of a moving train and possibly die, because that would have made him regret his decision ten times more.

“Please don’t kill me, I’ll do anything.”   The man just let him dangle; he might have leaned a bit more as well.

“Crowl!”  The scrawny man snapped.  The man, Crowl just turned to the man and snorted, not once moving Wes from his dangling.  “This is completely uncalled for.”

“I have ten dollars in my wallet, take it and I promise I’ll be gone before anyone knows I was here once we stop.”  Wes said without thinking.

Crowl immediately straightened him up and tossed him a bit into the car.  The smaller man seemed to catch him as he stumbled.  The door as slammed shot and Wes felt like he could breathe, and not have to worry about dying on the side of the railroad and never getting the justice he deserved.   Crowl held out his fat hand, wiggling his fingers in a manner that just translated to hand over the money.

Grumbling Wes dug out his wallet and the only money to his name.  He shoved the bills into Crowl’s hand.  The three large man grinned and left like they were satisfied with their business.  Once they were out of sight, the reality of the situation really sunk down onto Wes’ shoulders.  He just gave all of his money to some thugs so he didn’t die, which was a nice plus.  However, there was nothing for him to pay to get home, so that convent plan was screwed to hell.

His legs were weak below him, and he plopped down the floor with a heavy sigh.   He felt like he should be more relieved with the fact that he didn’t die, but that wasn’t the case.  He did something again without really thinking, even though he was dangling over the edge of a moving train, he still might have survived.  What was with him and not thinking lately?  His father was going to be more that pissed with him, Wes was pretty sure the man would murder him. 

“Hey, you okay?”  The scrawny man asked, squatting beside him.

Wes turned to him, slightly relieved to see a friendly, concerned look on the man’s face.  “Considering I was just dangled off the side of a train, gave away all the money I had so I wouldn’t die, I guess you would say I’m dealing.”

“I’ll take that no,” the man said with a slight grin.  “Sorry about, Crowl, he’s a bit too rough sometimes.” The man held out his hand.  “I’m Kevin Paek, everyone here calls me Paek-man, though.”

“Wesley Mitchell,” Wes said taking the man’s hand with a smile grin, “you can call me Wes.”

“Nice to meet you, Wes.”  Paek-man said before standing up.  “Let’s if we can get you a job.”

“Where?”  Wes asked, slowly getting to his feet.

“Here, of course.”  Paek-man said.  “This is the circus, I’m sure we can find you something.”

Wes was really being to understand why he wasn’t someone who was spontaneous.


	3. The Fat Man and His Show

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long to update. I've been busy with school and writing a crossover, because I have no life while also having one.

Going from train car to train car seemed easy enough in the books and movies.  They made it seem like it took hardly anything at all, it was just sort of a hop or a simple step and a slide of a door to enter the other.  Wes was not so happy to learn that wasn’t the case.

Paek-man made it look like it was something he could do in his sleep.  He balanced on the hitch holding the two cars together and slide the opposite door open before he stepped through it.  It was almost in one easy fluid motion, it annoyed Wes in a way, but it looked easy enough.  It wasn’t.  Maybe it was the fact that it train was speeding and the cars tittered about at their own accord.  Or maybe it was simply the fact that Wes had been dangled over the edge of the train hardly half an hour earlier.  Still Wes went for it like he had Paek-man’s experience under his belt.

Luckily, Paek-man reached out and grabbed Wes hand to help balance him before he pulled him through the door before Wes meet an early end.  He thanked Paek-man, who smiled, commenting about how it wasn’t as easy as it looked before he stepped on the hitch again to close the other door, before he came back.   Once the train car door was slammed shut, Paek-man lead the way through the car, towards the possibility of a job.

As they walked and shuffled from car to car, Paek-man talked about what the possible job could entail.  The circus, _Sutton’s Traveling World of Wonder_ as Paek-man informed him, was short on hands.  Of course, that hadn’t exactly stopped the owner, Mike Sutton, from going on with the show.  Apparently he had lots of capable men, didn’t matter if they were performers in the circus or not, if they could lift something they were usually helping.  Still an extra set of hands would help lighten the work load of everyone on the train, give the performers some more free time or practice time.

Wes didn’t see the harm in working for some money to get home; it would be honest, even though it wasn’t conventional.  Maybe if he offered to work he wouldn’t feel like such a freeloader, even though in reality he hadn’t planned on it. His parents would kill him if they ever found out, Wes was pretty sure his father was going to murder him for ditching his life a week before it started anyway.  

He wondered what his parents were up too currently.  They had to have noticed he hadn’t come home.   It had to be at least almost five in the morning, and there was no way his father waited up for him that long. There wasn’t much out there that could consume Wes’ time for the whole night.  And of something did come up, he would have found some way to contact his parents with when he was going to return.  So it was safe to say they would be a bit concerned about what happened to him.  If anything Wes’s mother might manage to convince his father to see if Wes possibly went somewhere over their breakfast in the morning.  They would probably track down Alex to see if she knew where Wes went, or if she was with him.  Wes groaned inwardly at the thought of his parents bothering Alex with questions about his where-abouts.    She would probably be worried something horrible happened to him, and attempt to find out what.  He really didn’t want to worry Alex.  However, it was too late for that seeing as how he was probably miles away from home.

Paek-man started talking about the circus itself as they made their way through cars that were becoming more and more filled with people.  He talked about how the whole thing basically got started, how it ran, and of course, he introduced Wes to some of the people who passed them or were lounging around where they could see them.  Wes gave them all a shy wave and an awkward smile.  He was aware of how little he really fit in with these people, if he did at all.  Wes had little skills aside from law, but seeing as how it was all he prepared for he expected that.  He could still learn how to do things though, he would learn how everything worked and how to set things up correctly, and he would not be useless.

“I should warn you, Sutton is on the bit of the Spiritual side,” Paek-man said as he heaved another door close.

Wes didn’t see where that would be a huge problem, aside from the man owning a circus, where Wes was sure countless things that were frowned upon in the bible happened.  Still as long as the man didn’t think he was Jesus Christ and he wasn’t attempting to shove God’s Word down Wes’ throat, Wes wasn’t going to have a problem with the guy.  He gave Paek-man a silent nod in reply.  The man gave him a look like Wes couldn’t possibly understand, but he didn’t elaborate any further.

They neared a door that had a simple place with the name _Mike Sutton, Owner/Ringmaster_ on the door.  Paek-man tapped his knuckles on the wooden door lightly, like he didn’t want to disturb the man inside.  There was the sound of something shifting on the other side of the door, but there was no immediate verbal reply.  Paek-man repeated the action, this time a little bit louder.

“Who is it?”  Came a gruffly voice from inside the room.

“Paek-man, sir.”  Paek-man said.

There was a silence for a few seconds before there was some more shuffling about from the other side of the door, before there was a click of a lock.  The door slide open with a bit of a creek, allowing the smell of cigarette smoke, alcohol, and a crisp clean some of something rich burning.  A man about half a head shorter than Wes, and far rounder answered.   He had an old, mean, rough look to his face, his hair was thinning but he still had enough to say he had a head of hair, and despite his weight, Wes could see the man putting up a hard fight.  He wasn’t exactly what Wes pictured when he heard the name, but Wes wasn’t really sure what he should expect on this train.

“This better be good, you’re interrupting my meditation.”  The larger man complained.

“Sorry, sir,” Paek-man said genially sorry.  “It’s just I know you’re always looking for some extra hands to help out, and Wes here could use a job.”

Sutton turned to Wes and gave him a squinted look; however Wes could see his eyes scanning up and down Wes’ body.  “Where’d he come from?”  Sutton asked, turning to back the other man.  “I mean, clearly we’re on a moving train, and I don’t recall stopping to pick anyone up.”

“He was in one of the supply cars,” Paek-man admitted with a small grin.

“But I wasn’t trying to free load!”  Wes cut in quickly, as Sutton turned to look at him, raising an eyebrow in the process.  “I was just trying to get away from my life, I wasn’t thinking.”

“You sure as hell weren’t thinking, just hopping on the first train you see.”  Sutton said.

“Look I’m sorry, really.”  Wes said slowly.  “I had a life that was just expected for me, I didn’t want to be a lawyer, or work at my father’s firm.  I saw an opening and stupidly took it.  You don’t have to give me a job, I’ll leave when at the first place you stop.”

Sutton started at him for a minute before he started chuckling.  “I don’t think you would have made a good lawyer, you know pleading guilty to jumping on my train.”  Sutton said with a wide grin.

“ _Excuse me_!”  Wes blinked.  He knew for a fact that the man was teasing him, but that didn’t change the fact that he was a damn good lawyer, even though he wasn’t officially one.  He was in the top of his class, and he had more than killed at the mock trials his professors put them all through.

Sutton let out a booming laugh before he collected Wes under his shoulder.  “Come in, come in,” he said as he pulled Wes through the door and into his room.  Wes followed awkwardly, looking to Paek-man for help, but the other was being waved away. 

The larger man managed to toss Wes into his room and slide the door shut behind him.  Wes stumbled towards what probably served as the seating area of the room.  Wes glanced around quickly, taking in as much as he could about the space like it might just help him.  The room was rather spacious for train car.  There was room for the lounging area, a rickety table that could be folded and moved if needed, a few chairs, a desk with a lamp, and a bed that was half made.  The walls were plain, save a few things hanging on them.  There was a poster hanging by the bed, _Sutton’s Traveling Wonder World_ , in dramatic letters at the top.  It was slightly faded, but Wes could tell it was once full of bright joyful colors that grabbed people’s attention.  There was a gleeful cartoon fat man in the middle, stars and streamers bursting out of his hands with a lively looking cartoon circus behind him.  The words _Coming to a town near you_ , written in bold lettering across the bottom.   Above the desk there was a picture of a large group clustered around a board that looked like a poster by the bed.  A younger, slimmer Sutton was behind the board, but there was a proud look on his face.

“That was taken in 1929, before the crash,” Sutton said levelly, as he sunk down into the chair at the desk.  “The show’s a lot smaller, but I think it’s just as good, if not better.”

“I’ve never really heard of you, but my dad kept me under law books.”  Wes said sheepishly, looking down at his feet.  The circus was a distraction according to his father, just like half of the stuff in the world that didn’t contribute to forwarding Wes’ future.

“Sounds fun.”  Sutton said dryly, causing Wes to look up.  “You got a name last name I can yell?” 

“Mitchell,” Wes replied slightly confused.

A smile crossed the older man’s face before he stared talking again.  “So you want a job, got any unique skills?”

“No,” Wes said simply, biting his tongue at the shock that Sutton was possibly giving him a job.  “Aside from arguing and debating, I’m just an able man.”

Sutton snorted at something before he looked down at his hands, before looking back up.  “Well, that is better than nothing.” 

Wes just nodded in reply.  He wished his could say he could do something amazing, or that he’s constructed and torn down a circus tent countless times.  Being able was a good thing; still we wished there had been more to offer than basically an understanding of the law. 

“So,” Sutton said with a wide grin on his lips, clapping his hands on legs, “something put you on this train for a reason, and trust me; I am not one to attempt to get in the way of that.”  Wes just looked at him.  He as on this train to get away from his expected life, he figured that was it.  Now he had escaped for a bit and he would go back when he had the money too, it would be as easy as that.  Sutton leaned forward in his chair.  “Welcome to the show, Mr.  Mitchell.”

“You’re actually hiring me?”  Wes asked slowly as he took Sutton hand to seal the deal. 

“If the universe wants you here, it will keep you here.”  Sutton said with a sort of shine in his eyes.  “You might not know what it is yet, but I’m sure you’ll find out, and when you do, tell me.”  Sutton smiled and seemed to pick up the silent question of _why_ that was hanging in the air by Wes.  “I kind of want to know why the universe wants a runaway law student in my show.”

The older man released his hand after a good shake and wink.  Wes slowly took his hand back; this was definitely not the spiritual he was picturing.  Still he went along with it, mainly because he was still keeping the plan to get money so he could travel back home to his parents at some point in his life, or at least contact them in some way so they knew he was okay.    There was nothing wrong with seeing what the universe had in store for him, as Sutton so simply put it.

“I only got one spare bunk right now,” Sutton said getting up from his chair.  Wes did the same, following after him as the man walked out of his room.  “There are others, but we’re using them for storage.  I hope you don’t mind a roommate.”

“I think I can handle it.”  Wes replied.

“Good, you’re rooming with Marks,” Sutton said and there was a sort of look in his eye that said Marks wasn’t exactly the easiest person to deal with.  “He’s our Illusionist.”  Sutton said before he started town the hallways, heading towards the back of the train.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Travis next chapter I promise!


	4. The Runaway and the Illusionist Meet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally Travis!
> 
> Also, if you interested into what I've find enjoyable to listen too while writing this. Look up Parov Stelar. They have a lot of old timey sounding music with a bit of a modern twist on it. I found their song Booty Swing on my iPod and was pictured a dancing scene for this story if it means anything. Definitely look them up. I've been listening to a playlist on Youtube and I'm in love.

Marks wasn’t in his room when Sutton practically barged in with a key in his hand and just a second’s warning.  Sutton grumbled about where the man could possibly be at, and if they lost one more female performer, their final pay was coming out of Mark’s pay.  Wes didn’t understand, and he hoped he would have to get too tangled up in stuff like that.  Sutton seemed to notice and gave him a smile and pat on the back once his grumbling was finished. 

“Sheets and a pillow, if Marks didn’t steal it should be in the second dresser.”  Sutton said before shuffling out of the room, sliding the door shut behind him.  He had pointed to the dresser closest to the door.

Wes stood in silence.  He took a deep breath to calm and collect himself.  What had he gotten himself into?  The circus?  At least it was as a worker not as a performer, but his father was still going to have his head for even being slightly employed in the place.  So far the only positive thing coming out of the whole thing was the job.  It wasn’t delivered on some silver plate for Wes, he had ask for it, and the money he was earning would genially be something he really had to work for.  The whole thing was going to be an adventure, he could tell.  Wes hopped the universe didn’t want him on the train that long.

He turned his attention to the room.  There was the smell of pure cigarette smoke, maybe a slight mix of gasoline, sweat, and cologne as well.   It was smaller than Suttons, hardly a walk way between the beds, two dressers and the desk.  The room was someone on the messy side of things, but it looked slightly like an organized mess.  The only orderly things in the room were the clothes that hung over the first dresser, all pressed and hung nicely.  Wes figured they were performance clothes.  Papers cluttered the desk, and there were some pinned up doodles, badly drawn plans, and scribbles that looked more like chicken scratch rather than actual writing of an intelligent person, just above the desk.  Some of the papers seemed to have found a place on the second dresser by the door, but it was more a collection of envelops and letters, along with some other random knick knacks.  The two beds were stacked on top of each other, one at least three feet above the other.  The top bed was made in a semi nice manner. 

The bottom bed was a completely different story.  The mattress was buried under a mound of clothes.  Most of them were crumpled shirts.  They were a variety of different colors, blues, browns, grays, and some whites.  Some pants were among the shirts, judging by the stains on them, they were clearly working clothes.  There were some dirty shoes as well, kicked under the bed from what Wes could see.

There was no stopping the groan that was on his lips.  He slide the key Sutton had given him into his pocket, before tackling the pile of clothes on what was now his bed.  He carefully folded them, had had a feeling half of them were dirty, and in need of a wash, while the other half were clean, dumped there from the last time.  He tried to figure what was clean and create too separate piles.  He didn’t know how often laundry was done for the workers on the train, and figured it would at least be considerate to not doom the man to no shirts.  Wes placed the folded clothes on the first dresser, keeping the dirtier clothes away from the nice hanging clothes. 

Underneath all the clothes was a thin mattress.  It certainly wasn’t any bed Wes was use too.  Still he would make it work, because now it would be all he had.  He found the sheets in the second dresser, and the pillow on Marks’ bed.  He made the bed tightly.  His father had always made him make his bed.  The man thought it was a good skill for a man to have, and he held Wes to the army expectations of it.  Wes snatched one of the pillows from Marks’ bed and patted it neatly on his bed.  

He plopped down on the bed for a moment, flopping over and burying his face in the pillow.  He wrinkled his noise when the heavy smell of someone he really didn’t know met him in return.  He laid there for a few minutes, debating if he should go attempt to go to sleep, or clean up the room a bit.  Well at least clean off the dresser that was now his.  Sleep didn’t come to him, so he pushed himself back up, and went to ease things off his dresser.  He delicately laid everything on the dresser, leaving it for Marks to organize whenever he returned.  After cleaning Wes, plopped down on his bed, reclining back maybe trying to catch a few minutes of sleep on something a bit more comfortable then the bag of oats he had been resting on earlier.

An hour later, Wes was poking at the board of the bed above him out of boredom when the door slid open.   He leaned up to see who entering.   In the door way was a darker man, a colored man, not that Wes minded.  The man’s clothes looked like they had been thrown on in a rush, and from the morning light come through the small window in their room and from the hall way, Wes could see more than a shadow of a beard form on his face.  The man entered the room, running a hand over his hair, sliding the door shut behind him. 

Wes eased up to lean on his elbows, and the man took notice of him.  “You Mitchell?”  He asked simply.   He had the bluest eyes Wes had ever had the pleasure of encounter, and he really didn’t care how that sounded.

“Marks?” Wes asked in reply.

“Travis,” the man corrected.

“Oh,” Wes said awkwardly, “Wes.”

“So, I’ll take that as a yes,” Marks said, turning to look at his dresser.  “I see you did some cleaning.”

“Well I did need the bed.”  Wes said with a roll of his eyes.  Marks hurried through his dresser, picking up a shirt from the pile, holding it to his nose and smelling it for a good measure.  “I tried to sort out what was ‘clean’ and want was dirty.”  Wes said, sitting up, wiggling under the look Marks gave him.

Marks look at him too long.  He picked up another shirt from another pile and seemed to find it fit to wear.  He quickly pulled the shirt he had on off, revealing the skin underneath.  Wes looked away, giving the man a bit of privacy, even though he was pretty much changing with another man in the room.  Wes looked when he heard the metal clattering of suspenders, watching as Marks slide them over his shoulder.

“Did you move anything on the desk?”  Marks asked

Wes shook his head.  “I just moved some stuff off the dresser, but I tried to keep it as contained as possible.”

Travis didn’t say anything back to him; he simply just made a sound.  The darker man shifted through some of his things on the table, like he was double checking to make sure Wes didn’t move them too much.  Wes watched him awkwardly, before he laid down a bit more on the bed.  Travis started to sort through some things, Wes didn’t know what he was doing, but from what he could hear it sounded like the other man was attempting to make the desk look a little bit neater.  Or maybe he was just trying to find a place for the letters and other things that had been on the other dresser.

He sighed and clapped his hands together.  “Okay, let’s go!”  He said suddenly, turning to Wes with a wide, happy grin on his lips. 

“Where?”  Wes asked with a raised eyebrow as Marks headed to the door.

“The diner car for some breakfast.”  Marks said scratching at his cheek and giving Wes a look that made him feel like he was an idiot.  “Come one, before Cap has my ass.”

Wes rolled off he bed, realizing he was a bit hungry, and food sounded rather good to him.  “Who’s Cap?”

Travis looked at him for a moment, his blue eyes searching Wes like he might be lying.  Wes however was genuinely confused.  Marks seemed to read that from him instantly, and burst out laughing, with a loud laugh that echoed through the small room and down the hallway of the train.  “Cap’s Sutton.”  He said with a grin before he walked out the door, leaving Wes to follow after him like child.

* * *

Marks explained to Wes, exactly why Sutton was also known as Cap through the whole circus.  Wes didn’t ask him to explain, but the man did any way.  It made the lighter man wonder if the man simply liked to hear his own voice.  Still Wes listened to everything, taking it all in just in case for some reason Marks decided to quiz him on something.

Apparently Sutton had been in the army before he even thought about having a circus, if he ever planned on his life going in that direction to begin with.  He was a Captain in the Great War, earned some metals and was a very respected man, despite having a short temper and just being hard person to deal with.  Him and his wife were had fallen apart, and while he tried to patch it all it was too late.  At some point after that, Sutton bought a train and found a group of freaks and odd balls and made a show.  Much to everyone luck it was a success.

As the two neared the dining car, or Wes hoped they were because he could smell something good cooking, Marks started going into the story of how he meet Sutton.  The man seemed to have quite a history with the owner of the circus.  Marks bragged about his skills as an illusionist, and Wes sort of zoned him out after that.  He honestly didn’t care too much; otherwise he would be cutting in with questions.

“So, what brought you here?”  Travis asked.

He turned to Wes, who blinked at him.  He didn’t know what brought him there, because according to Sutton it was the universe, but Wes felt like it was more his stupidity and a childish want to escape his planned life.   He shrugged a bit, because he knew saying something would probably cause poking and prodding from Marks, and Wes wasn’t ready to share his life story with him at all.

Before Marks could ask him any more questions, they reached the dining car, and Travis was more concerned about getting food than wondering about Wes’ life.  Wes let out a breath of relief, and collected his plate of food after Marks.  Glancing down at it, he tried to hide his disgust, seeing as this was going to be the only source of food before till the train stopped.  On his plate were eggs that seemed to be a bit burnt and not as fluffy as Wes thought eggs normally wore when they were cooked.  There was some breakfast meat as well, it seemed to still be simmering in some of the oil used to cook it.  His toast was dark brown, and looked like it was starting to burn towards the top.

He grabbed a fork and thanked the cook politely before he hurried to find a seat.  Marks seemed to sit with some of his friends, but Wes wasn’t his responsibility and, it wasn’t like Wes wasn’t use to eat alone from time to time.   He sat an empty table and attempted to eat the meal given to him.  Paek-man joined him after a minute or two, a smile on his face and questions on how he was settling it.  Wes gave him a grin and told him to wait a day or two if he wanted a good answer.


	5. First Day of Circus Work

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my goodness, I'm sorry this took me forever to update. I got distracted by writing ficlets on tumblr. Also I hit some horrible writers block on a chapter I was working on which pissed me off cause it started out great. Anyway, here's a new chapter.

It was three days before the train stopped at its destination, which just so happened to be on the other side of the country.  Wes would admit he was a bit shaken by the different life style there, and the slight chill in the air, that he wasn’t so use to.  However he was happy to finally get off the train.  It was nice to be on solid ground rather than see it whizz past him when he stared out the window, which he usually did to escape Marks, though he had annoyingly insisted Wes call him Travis.

Wes had learned rather quickly that he hated Travis.  Travis was a decent guy, and he showed Wes enough ropes to get him by.  That was the first day they had been together, so they were both polite and civil towards each other.  Besides for all Wes knew, Sutton put Travis up to showing him around, as a sort of deal or something, but Wes would never know, and he wasn’t sure he wanted to.  The idea that Travis might possibly care a bit about someone because they were person was something Wes wanted to keep as a weapon against killing the man.  To be honest, the man was kind, funny, and basically the qualities a father would look for in a man for their daughter, but Travis was just _annoying._

Actually, Marks was a lot more than annoying.  He liked to be the center of attention, and if it wasn’t Wes giving it to him in some way, it was sure as hell someone else on the train, and usually there were no clothes involved.  Wes only knew that because Travis had a small bragging problem.  It wasn’t horrible, just small comments every now and again to the point where Wes had more than an idea of what he was getting at before he said it.  Travis was also overly loud.  His laugh was loud, he snored like he was a bear from time to time, and if he wanted to be heard, he made sure he was heard.  Marks also cheated at cards.  Wes didn’t know how, but he was sure Travis somehow managed to do it; because there was no way in the world someone was that lucky.  It wasn’t too much of a pain because when he played with Wes, they really didn’t play with anything because Wes was broke.   If they weren’t playing cards usually Marks was trying to get him to show him some card trick when Wes wanted five minutes to himself to just to think.

The hate seemed to be two-sided.  Apparently, Wes was a bit too controlling for Travis to allow, and there were plenty of other things.  Still in the few days they had been enclosed together they had only managed to get into one loud disagreement, that cause an annoyed acrobat named Dakota to come pounding on their door demanding that they shut up so her and her husband could sleep.  They argued about stuff though, and Travis always seemed to be the one starting it, but Wes wasn’t exactly shutting them down, so they were both to blame in their own way. 

Touching solid grown and breathing the fresh air again was an instant relief to Wes.  It seemed that way for a few other members as well.  Most of them stretching out in the green grass close to the train tracks, all a little slow to start their work on setting up.  Of course, it only took one semi confused bark from Sutton to get the whole thing moving. 

Paek-man snatched Wes up and pulled him along to where most of the workers were gathering and pulling out poles, tarps, and ropes.  It didn’t take long for Wes to figure out that they were the circus tents.  An older man dumped a heavy coil of rope in his arms and told him to follow some man named George.  Wes did as he was told.  It seemed like for the most part everyone knew he was new, and directed him on what to do.

Getting most of the smaller tents up was easy.   It was basically poles, some tarp, and a lot of rope.  It didn’t take long for Wes to catch on; he learned to stay out of people’s way quick enough.  He helped move some things into them, setting up some benches or desks, there were one or two stages he helped to set up.  The weather was pleasant, but Wes managed to work up a sweat that chilled him more than he would like when the wind blew.   It was different work form what Wes was used to doing, but he didn’t really mind.  It was an hour or so before they got to setting up the big tent.  The sun was starting to begin its slow climb into the west.  Despite a bit of a rush, the big tent went up from like the other smaller ones.  Minimum problems, which was always good. 

Everyone took a break for dinner, which was a sort of stew.  Again, not an award winning meal for Wes, but it was a comforting warm in the cooling air of the east.    The sun had mostly set when everyone finished eating and got back to work.  Lanterns were lit half way through them setting up the stands and the rings of the circus.  They were easy enough to set up, save a few issues.  Like a top being too shaky or not probably lining up, and they had to fetch someone light who climb and adjust it for everyone.  There were only a select few.

“It’s too unstable to send anyone up there,” Kevin, a man who Wes was helping set up; he shook a post to prove his point.  He clucked his tongue in through has he stared up at it.  “I don’t even know what’s wrong.”

“I’m pretty sure Peter could get up there and look.”  Someone else said behind Wes.

“Idiot, did you not hear me when I said it’s too unstable for anyone to go up?”  Kevin snapped harshly.

“We can take it down and redo it.”  An older man who told him to call him, Dumont for now, said crossing his arms.  “We’ll see the problem when we take it down hopefully.”

Kevin sighed, and rubbed his forehead.  “Let me see if I can get someone to look at it.”  He strolled off, silently signaling everyone to carry on with what they were doing before. 

Dumont grumbled beside him, looking up with squinting eyes, even with his glasses.  He apparently didn’t see anything either, and left.  Wes didn’t see anything either, but he was sure all he had to do was line it up and connect it to another stand so at least it would be a bit more stable for a closer look.  It didn’t look that difficult to climb, even if everyone was saying not too.  Wes can’t help but want to try, as a child he climbed from balconies on at his parents’ old home and scared the poor maid who looked out for him.  He had done that with ease, and they had to be at least three stories up.

So he just did it.  It wasn’t difficult at all, even with it being a bit too unstable, Wes managed fine.  Reaching the top in a matter of minutes.  Which he figured was impressive seeing as how he hadn’t climbed anything since he was thirteen when he father yelled at him and scared him of his grip.

“Mitchell what the hell do you think you’re doing?!”  Dumont called as quietly as he could, causing Wes to turn and look down at him.

“If we connect it to the one next to it, it will be slightly more stable.”  Wes explained, “Or at least I hope it does.”

“Are you crazy?  It’s too unstable for anyone to climb!” 

Wes just ignored him and carried on with what he was doing.  He isn’t too shocked when he has a crowd in a matter of minutes.  All of them for the most part were freaking out and telling him to come down.  They’re might have been one or two who were more concerned about him breaking something on the stand than hurting himself.  Kevin’s shout of terror and rage almost made him topple off, but Wes managed to keep his balance and do what he need.  He even found what was wrong and was able to right it before he came down.  He gets lectured on safety when he reached the bottom, but its rather half-assed Wes thinks seeing as how everyone is in awe of him.  They all dissipate in a matter of seconds when they were told to get back to work.

Someone clapped him on the shoulder, and Wes stumbled a bit rather caught off guard.  “What are you a monkey?”  Travis’ voice asked him, and he turned to see the darker man grinning at him.

“No,” Wes said smartly, “but if you see me sprouting a tail please tell me.”

“I think the freak house is already full.”  Travis replied with a wide grin.  “Where’d you learn to do that?”

“I climbed a lot when I was kid.  I use to climb from balcony to balcony when I was a child.”  Wes said with a shrug.  “Scared practically everyone in the household at least once.”

“Good to know I’m rooming with a crazy monkey man.”

Wes just glared back in at Travis as he turned and left with that.

* * *

The next morning, Travis woke him up by tossing something onto Wes.  It was enough to shock Wes awake; he groaned and shifted, trying to settle back asleep.  Part of him figured Travis had just forgotten he was sharing the room with someone and went back to tossing clothes all over the place.   Wes’ groaning would remind him he wasn’t alone and hopefully the man would take back whatever he threw.  It didn’t seem to do anything, but Wes found he didn’t care all too much.  He was exhausted from the day before, sore as well.  He honestly didn’t know certain part of his body could hurt so much when he moved, but they did, and all from his manual labor from the day before.

“Sleeping monkey wake up,” Travis’ voice sang a bit.  Wes didn’t move, hoping that if he pretended to be asleep Travis would leave him along for a while and he wouldn’t have to face his soreness so soon.  Something else was tossed on him.  “Come on, rise and shine.”  Wes opened his eyes and slowly turned to glare at Travis, who grinned widely.   Wes rolled over and attempted to pull the blankets of his head.  “What are you five, Wes?”

“No, I’m sore.”  Wes replied.

“We all are princess.”  Travis said, sounding closer than before. 

Before Wes could turn to see what the darker man was up too, the sheet he had was ripped off, causing Wes to shrivel up a bit.  He turned sharply to Travis who was collecting something off the floor.  “What the hell is wrong with you?”

“Nothing.”  Travis smiled out, tossing the sheet at the foot of Wes’ bed.  He bundled up something that looked like clothes, more specifically his own clothes.  “Now, get dressed.”  Travis shoved the bundle into Wes’ sore chest, causing the man to groan and semi-grab the bundle against his chest. 

Wes looked down at the clothes.  There was a clean white shirt, and some pale slacks, they seemed like they were clean, because Wes didn’t remembered Travis wearing anything like that the day before.  “These are your clothes.”

“You’re welcome,” Travis said as he headed towards the door.  “I couldn’t help but notice you only have a shirt, and a pair of pants to your name.”  He slid open the door to their room.  “Now, hurry up and get dressed before you miss breakfast.  It’s your first day actually working the circus.”

Travis closed the door and Wes flopped back onto the bed.  He really wasn’t sure if he wanted to be reminded of that fact just yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I really have no clue how people actually set up a circus in the 30s, there weren't many videos on it. Any way, I just did what I thought would happened. Also I like the idea of Travis teasing Wes about being a monkey, because even in the show Wes seemed like he was a climbing/jumping pro.


	6. Then the People Came

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again sorry it took me a bit to update, I was on Spring Break, but I managed to write to chapters, so I can updated later if I want.

If there was one Wes wanted to make completely clear, it was that he was only wearing Travis’ shirt because he had been wearing his own for about five days straight.  The thing was honestly starting to smell and get visibly dirty.  Besides it was a generous offer, seeing as how Travis could have just let him keep wearing the same shirt till Wes was able to get more.    Of course Travis wasn’t the first one to offer Wes clothes.  Paek-man had offered, but his clothes were too small for Wes to even attempt to look comfortable in.

The darker man’s shirt had to be at least a size and half too big for Wes.  He didn’t even try on the other’s pants, figuring they would definitely be too big for him.  Wes and Travis were the same height, but Travis was far broader and more built than Wes, who was use to fitting into slim suits.  Still Wes felt like he managed to tuck the shirt in enough for it took look like it fit him well enough; it was still a little loss in the shoulders.

If anyone noticed at breakfast they didn’t say anything.  Probably because they were all too busy trying to get the last few things ready before they let the crowds in.  Travis gave him a grin when he noticed, and Peak-man raised any eyebrow, but that was the only form of reaction that Wes got.  He was happy he only got that.

After his breakfast he did odd sort of jobs, like last minute set ups, and double checking the ropes and the tents.  He even double checked the stands while some of the performers practiced their routines. 

They started letting people in around noon.  The sound of laughing children and their worrying parents filled the air.  The sounds of crowds was a bit nice for Wes to hear, after being on a train continually for about three days it was nice to finally hear other people.  Of course their accents were completely different from what Wes was used to hearing, but the man didn’t mind, according to Sutton if the universe wanted him to have this adventure he was going to have it.  By mid-afternoon the field was filled with people going in and out of tents, and generally looking like they were having a good time.

“Excuse me?”  A voice with a clearly English accent asked him.

Wes turned to find a woman who had to at least be in her mid-thirties looking at him.  She was dressed in a simple light blue dress with her brown hair pulled back in the bun.   He quickly straightened up, wiping his hand on his pants.

“Can I help you?”  Wes said with a polite smile.  He might have never worked in a circus before, but he does know how to at least be courteous and help people.

The woman laughed for a seconds.  “Sorry,” she apologized quickly, “I’m just so use to people here knowing who I am? You must be the new hand Sutton hired; George was talking about you this morning.  Quite the climber I hear.”  She held out her hand.  “Dr. Emma Ryan.”  Wes looked at her for a moment, a bit surprised by the fact that she was a doctor.  She seemed to read his expression.  “I’m a veterinary nurse, but everyone just calls me doctor, it’s a very unofficial title.”

Wes nodded slowly before he smiled and took her hand to shake.  “Wes Mitchell.”

“Pleasure meeting you, Wes.”  She said with a smile.

“Uh…do you need help with anything?”  Wes asked awkwardly when she let his hand go.

“Ah, yes.”  Emma said with a kind smile.  “I can use some assistance with the animals.  I have two assistants as it is it, but I always like to round up a few extra hands before Sutton puts you all on patrol.”

“Sure,” Wes replied.  He wasn’t exactly an animal person, mostly because his father had called them a distraction, but if it meant he could escape attempting to look like he was busy for a while he didn’t mind. 

Emma let him to the white tent where they were keeping all of the animals.  There were some members of the crowd inside, glancing at the animals from a safe distance under the instructions of an older woman.  The woman smiled at them when they entered.  The older man from the night before, Dumont, was there instructing some other workers to feed some the animals, and others two walk some of them around so they weren’t restless.  They breezed past him, and over to a colored woman sitting with a large dog.

The dog was lying beside her, looking particularly miserable.  Or he looked rather miserable; Wes didn’t know he wasn’t exactly use to dogs.   He seemed to perk up a bit when he noticed them nearing, his ears perked up and he lifted his head and panted.  The woman smiled and rubbed her hand on the dog’s side.

“I take it Hudson is still under the weather?”  Emma said as she neared running he hand over the dogs had.  “Wes, here, can help me with Hudson, so you can go back to the others.”  Emma said as the woman stood up.  “Who’s watching them anyway?”

The woman gave Emma a look before rolling her eyes.  “Marks.  He’s the only who’s actually good with them.”

“Well remind him he has a show in fifteen minutes.”  Emma said as she kneeled beside Hudson and motioning for Wes to join her.

“Thank you Dr. Ryan, and I take it you’re Wes.”  The woman said with a wave as she started easing away.  Hudson didn’t seem to take too much notice, he was too busy inspecting Wes’ hand and licking it.

“Don’t mention it Randi.”  Emma said before turn her attention completely to Hudson.

She quickly got to work giving Hudson a quick overview and having Wes hold him in place when he got squirmy.  It seemed to make him slightly squirmier, but eventually he gave up.  Wes did his best to help calm him down, but he wasn’t exactly sure as to what he was doing.  Emma finished up with Hudson rather quickly, before telling Wes to take him back to Randi.  He did and was quickly ordered to patrol the area when he was done.

* * *

Patrolling seemed like a rather easy job.  He simply had to make sure no one was sneaking into places they shouldn’t be or looking in places they shouldn’t.  Wes shoved mostly teenagers away from back folds of tents they he was sure their mothers would give them a scolding for looking in to.  All though, he had escorted some younger children who had found some wiggle room into the big tent back to their parents.  He was lucky he hadn’t encountered any real creeps; it seemed that’s what Crowl and his two other thugs were for.  Wes avoided them as best he could, but it seemed like Paek-man had explained to them he got him a job, seeing as how they just gave Wes a dirty look rather than making him run for his life.

As the sun went down, more and more people gravitated to the big tent.  It didn’t really matter if the show was two hours away; they still went in for a seat.    It became a little easy for Wes to spot people who were sneaking around than before.  He strolled around the grounds, passing tents and catching bits and pieces of the small shows going on inside. 

“I told you not to show me!”  Someone said dramatically, followed by a roar of childish giggles which caught Wes’ attention.  He knew the voice was Travis’. 

Wes didn’t know why he walked over to the small tent that Travis used for his shows that weren’t in the big tent.  The flaps were still open and inviting.  He found himself looking into them to see what exactly what was going on.  The tent was filled, mostly with children, some with their parents, others with what had to be their older siblings.  Travis was dressed in what looked to be his show clothes, all nicely pressed and slightly fancy looking.  He was squatting in front of a young boy who had to be about five, shuffling cards before he fanned them out for the boy. 

“Okay, we’ll do this again.  Pick a card, any card, but don’t show me this time, not matter what I say.”  Travis said with a kind grin.  The boy shyly took a card and looked at it, before he held it close to his chest.  “You memorized it that fast!”  Travis said with a sort of amazement in his voice, the boy looked at it again before nodding.  “Well, I’m impressed.  Okay now put it back.”  The boy gave him a look and Travis laughed.  “It’s okay I won’t look.”

The boy put the card and Travis shuffled the deck in his hand.  He cut the deck countless times.  He had to have been fiddling with the deck for a good while before he tapped on the deck three times.  Travis slowly flipped over the first card.

“Is this your card!?”  He asked dramatically, holding the card out to the boy who shook his head.  Travis looked slightly disappointed before he repeated the process.  Again the boy shook his head.  “Okay, third times’ the charm.”  Travis said with a grin like he knew something before he flipped over the third card.  The boy shook his head and Travis’ grin fell and he looked at the card.  He dropped the card and flipped over the deck fanning them out.  “Figures.  I forgot to mention the three of hearts likes to run away from the deck.”  The boy looked amazed at him.  “That was your card wasn’t it.  I should have warned you about it.”

Travis placed the cards on the ground and stood straight up.  He quickly dug his hands in his all his pants pockets.  Before patting town the top half of his body.  He twirled around looking at the floor before he checked his pant pockets again.  The children in the room were all giggling at him.

“Wes come in here for a moment.”  Travis said suddenly, pointing at Wes.

Everyone turned to look at where Travis was pointing.  Wes stared at the other, who just waved at him to come over; the look on his face was a challenging one.  He was going to get Wes to come to him at some point, whither it was at Wes’ will or not.   Wes just walked in eventually.  Travis immediately reached into the pocket of the shirt once he could reach Wes.   He pulled out a card with a loud “AH-HA!”  Wes can’t help but look a little amazed, even though he had a feeling the card was never really in his pocket.

“Is this your card?”  Travis asked the boy who nodded and everyone clapped.    Travis grinned and took a bow before he pushed Wes away towards the door.  “Thank you Wes!  Now get back to work before the Cap finds out.”

Wes just rolled his eyes and waved as he left.  As he left the tent he noticed someone trying to sneak into another and hurried over to shoo them away.

* * *

If he thought for a second God or the universe, or whoever was in charge of his life, was going to let him have a smooth first day, Wes was wrong.  It was going smooth till after the show was all over and they were closing.  Two men had managed to get into a bit of a fight over what, Wes didn’t particularly care.  He had broken them up before they got physical with each other, but one of them did not like him intervening on their argument, and landed a punch on Wes.  Naturally Wes swung back.

Now he was sitting on his bed while Dr. Ryan gave him a brief look over and treated some of the cuts on his face.  She wasn’t saying much too him, only the occasional apology when Wes hissed, and Wes was completely fine with that.  Travis was annoying snickering in the corner.   He had been one of the few who helped break up the fight.  To his luck, he had broken up a fight before and was acting out of self-defense, so Sutton didn’t seem too angry at him.

Emma finished up soon enough and left with a sharp tone for them to behave before she left.  Travis just grinned at him from his seat at the desk.  Wes glared at him from his place on the bed.  “What’s got you so happy?”  Wes growled.

“Nothing.”  Travis said simply before leaning forward a bit, reaching out to move Wes’ face to the side for a better look.  His fingertips were warm on Wes’ cheek.  “Damn, he got you good though.”  He took his hand back, folding it together with his other.  “At least you didn’t take it lying down; I just never pictured you to be a scrapper.”

“What did you picture me being?”  Wes asked out of curiosity.

“I don’t know a clean sort of fighter.”  Travis said.  “Like a sword fighter or something.”

Wes couldn’t have stopped the snort and smile that came to be if he tried.  “Okay.”  He said before he rolled over to lie on his bed.  “I’m not that old fashioned, thank you very much.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, more character introductions. The Dumonts work with Dr. Ryan who is the veterinarian nurse/lead medical personal the circus has. Dr. is an unofficial title, because I don't think woman could become doctors in the 1930's but it's just what everyone calls her because shes super smart and helpful. Randi does something with dogs, Hudson is the youngest of her pack, and I'm just going to say their wolf mixes so its entertaining for everyone.


	7. At Odds

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took me a bit to update this. This has been ready to go for a while now, but I guess I got caught up in school a bit more than I would have liked. Sorry as always.

“You are a horrible Illusionist,” Travis said shaking his head as Wes seemed to royally screw up another trick.  The Illusionist held out the card that Wes had been attempting to find.

Wes glared at him in reply, before he reached forward and ripped the card out of the other’s hand, grumbling as he did so.  Travis chuckled at the action, his blue eyes watching as Wes shuffled the deck rather angrily.  It’s not that Wes was pissed because he couldn’t do the trick; he was pissed because Travis always managed to make it look so annoyingly easy.  It also felt like he was setting Wes up to fail just so he could have a laugh.

“I never said I wanted to learn how to do any of this.”  Wes said, bridging the shuffled deck into a need and orderly stack in his hand.

“You’re the one who asked me!”  Travis said grinning.

Wes growled.  “I asked how you managed to get escape that death trap Kendall build for you, not this.”

“Hey, don’t disrespect the basics.”  Travis said with a slightly serious tone.  Wes gave him a flat look.   It caused Travis to burst out laughing, throwing his head back and gripping his sides.  He didn’t even notice Wes hold the deck out, pinching down on them till they flew out at him.  “Hey!” Travis picked up some of the cards that had been flung at him, and tossed them right back at Wes, who couldn’t help but grin.

The two of them were sitting on Wes’ bed after a long day of tearing down the circus.  Travis had somewhat made it his responsibility to teach Wes some of his tricks since he didn’t just want to tell him like a normal person would.  It was a completely different skill set that Wes had never imagined having.  He wasn’t even sure he wanted it, but for some reason he couldn’t tell Travis no.  He had tired, but the other had somehow managed to make him do it, and continue doing it for the last two months.   

It seems crazy for him to think he’s been on the train for three months.  It hadn’t felt like it had been that long till he dated a letter to his parents to fill them in on some details. Like the big one of how he pretty much runaway in a moment of stupidity and spontaneity.   Wes left the fact that he was on a circus train and working in a circus completely out of the letter.  He knew his father was already angry at him for missing his exams and graduations, but knowing his father he had probably managed to talk to the dean of the school to get them to excuse Wes.  The school would most likely agree, especially if everyone thought Wes was missing because someone took him.

Still he explained his lack of money, and a paying job, and how there were slightly more pressing finances at the time then just getting home.  For example clothes and paying half of Travis’ laundry fee so he could at least try to thank the man for letting him borrow his clothes.  As much as Sutton tried, the pay wasn’t always constant, but it still wasn’t horrible.  Sutton always tried to pay everyone something.  Wes really didn’t know when he could possibly ever get home, that was over course if the universe allowed him too.

Of course Wes wasn’t sure he wanted to go back.  Part of him did want a slightly more respectable job, maybe not a lawyer but something else.  Another part of him liked it, because it was different, and for the most part everyone liked him.  He might be a bit too serious and boring for them sometimes, but they all liked him enough.  Or maybe they just pitied and respected him for putting up with Travis so long and not complaining about it.  Travis is a handful sometimes, but he was easy enough to get along with, when he wasn’t trying to press all of Wes’ buttons so he could have some entertainment.   Put up with Travis sure as hell beat discussing law with his father.

At the thought of his father, Wes fell back onto his bed with a sigh, his head bouncing off the pillow once.  Travis looked at him oddly, blue eyes looking slightly concerned and confused. 

“My father would kill me if he knew I was doing this,” Wes said randomly with a bit of grin, and it wasn’t a lie.

Travis made a sound as he started picking up the cards they had been throwing around.  “Play cards with a black man?”  Travis question with a slightly raised eyebrow. 

Wes turned and gave him a slightly sharp look, like he was slightly offended Travis thought that way.  The darker man just smiled and Wes rolled his eyes.  They talked about it before when Travis was being nosier than usual.  Wes’ family would probably scold him about, but they really didn’t care too much the whole thing.  At least, not as so much as some people.

“No, for the whole card trick shenanigans you’ve been attempting to teach me.”  Wes said rolling on his side so he could look at Travis better.  “He would say it was a waste of my time and skill.”

“Well he would be wrong, because you have no skills, and you’re only wasting my time.”  Travis snapped back and he filed the cards into a neat stack in his hands.

“I’ll be sure to tell him that someday.”  Wes said, and Travis laughed.

A silence settled on them for a bit, and it was nice.  Just the sound of the train moving about on the tracks, and the slit rocking of the cars as they followed along.  There was the sound of some laughter down the hall; it was no doubt it was from the room at the end of the hall.  However, other than that, there wasn’t much other than their breathing.   Travis let out a sigh and leaned back against the wall for their room, Wes watching him closely.  He felt like Travis wanted to say something, but he couldn’t exactly figure out what it was.

Travis doesn’t say anything however, and Wes pushed himself up into a sitting position on the bed.   The silences got slightly heavier than he was used to.  Wes wonders if he should ask if everything is okay, but so some reason he couldn’t get his mouth to produce anything.

“Sometimes I can’t get over how much you left behind.”  Travis said suddenly, and he wasn’t looking at Wes, he was look at the wall across from him.

Wes made a confused sound.  He had told Travis about what his life was like before, over drinks and cards.  He had run out of chips and Travis was letting him play in exchange for some information about himself.  Wes told him about Alex, his family, his schooling, and his job that was just within reach.  Travis had teased him and congratulated him for escaping the boring life of a Suit, but even then Wes had noticed there was something he was hiding.  Not a lot of people in the circus had a family, the circus _was_ their family, Wes knew that much.  He wasn’t expecting to run into a punch of people who ran away from their lives like him, and to this day the only person who really did that was Sutton.

“With all that I wouldn’t even think about leaving,” Travis continued.

“I wasn’t happy.”  Wes admitted easily.  The only thing he might have actually been happy about was Alex because for the most part he had picked her.   Part of him wished he had been able to been a little bit happier with his life but he wasn’t. 

Travis gave him a bit of pointed look.  “That’s not something you leave your family for Wes.”  Travis voice has some heat to it, which startled Wes a bit.

“Just leave it.”  Wes said, because really didn’t feel like it having this conversation.  He didn’t need the heat in Travis’ voice to tell him this conversation would turn bad fast if they didn’t watch it.

However, the darker man didn’t look like he was just going to let it go.  “I’m just trying to figure out a possible excuse for you to just jump on some random train.”

“Travis,” Wes warned, more the other than himself.

“I mean, you had parents that loved you,” Travis continued anyway.  Wes cursed in his head, he didn’t like where this was heading, and Travis is stubborn, if he wanted to talk about this, he would find way so they would.  “Not to mention a girl who was more than ready to spend the rest of her life with you.  Oh and let’s not forget the high end job you had lined up.”  Travis paused to look at him, and Wes tried to take a calming breath, but his heart was starting to pound like it just knew there was going to be fight.  “What could possibly be so horrible about that?”

“It was being forced down my throat!”  Wes snapped suddenly, and Travis looked slightly surprised by his outburst but he didn’t say anything.  “I was suffocated under it all.  My life was practically planned out before I was born, and I was expected to live it no matter what I wanted.”  Wes snapped.  “I’m not exactly expecting you to understand.”

“Good, ‘cause I don’t need the years in the some church orphanage to tell me that I don’t understand.”

The two stare at each other heatedly, silently daring the other to back down.  Of course neither of them were going to back down.  The silence that fills the room is horrible and Wes slightly noticed that the sounds from the other rooms for the most part are silent were well.  With a loud breath, Travis heaved himself off the bed and stormed out of the room leaving Wes alone.  Travis’ words before the silence hit him just as Travis slammed the door to their room shut.  Wes falls back onto his pillow, just his luck.

He rolled over to face the wall, and willed himself to sleep.  It didn’t help, and neither did the fact that Travis didn’t come back at all that night.

* * *

After that the two of them avoided each other as much as possible, the only time they were actually really in the same room was when they were sleeping, or eating.  Usually when they were in the same room as each other, it was clear they were not exactly getting along at the moment.  However the card trick lessons had stopped and they didn’t talk to each other.  Of course people noticed, it only took them about a week or so.

“Are things between Travis and you okay?”  A performer, Dakota, asked as she pet the nose of a horse while Dr. Ryan looked it over.   Wes brush past the question, saying something that was clearly a lie, and quickly found something else to do.   Dr. Ryan found him a few hours later and called him out on the lie.  He told her what had happened and she pointedly told him to fix things.  He didn’t see why he had to be the one to fix things.

The runaway couldn’t get the other’s last words before he left out of his head.  Travis wanted to know just about everything  there was to know about Wes, and Travis had talked about himself a lot, but Wes usually didn’t take much of it to heart.  He had tried going to Sutton for answers, hoping the older man would just tell him what he could.  But the man was not so giving, pointing him in the direction of Travis for answers.  He gave Wes a look that told him he knew they two of them were not getting along.

It was a whole another week before Wes couldn’t take anymore. 

He entered they’re room after a long day of setting up to find Travis lying on his bed with a book of some kind.  He noticed Wes walk in and turned away.  Wes sighed, and figured he would just carry on with his life, but he couldn’t take it anymore.  He really couldn’t take Travis avoiding him any more for some reason.

“Okay, I’m sorry.”  Wes blurted out, slightly frustrated.  “I’m sorry if I offended you or something.”    Wes looked down at his shoes because he’s pretty sure that’s not going to fix anything.

Travis’ bed creaked a bit, causing Wes to look up a bit confused.  He found Travis looking at him slightly.  Wes’ throat suddenly felt dry, and he can’t seem to find anything else to say.  He just let the silence come in and find a home in their room.  Travis sat up on his bed before he slid of, touching down just an arm’s length from Wes.

“You want a snipe?”  Travis asked like it was a peace offering, Wes just nodded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted the two of them to get into a bit fight at least once in this story and this is it. 
> 
> Also, I put Travis an in orphanage rather than foster care because it seems like something that was more predominate in the early 1900's rather than the foster care we have now. However, I figured all the canon foster family members Travis had could be part of the orphanage with was in the church. So they can be nuns and priests and other children.
> 
> And threw some 30's slang in there. A 'snipe' is a cigarette.


	8. Up in the Smoke

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Travis and Wes talk after their fight over cigarettes and things go back to normal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These updates just seem to be taking forever and I apologize. I hope none of you are really expecting me to have a updating routine even though I try to have one. I've been writing (a lot) but mostly on Tumblr, I need to publish some of the fics here case...yeah...

Wes took the cigarette Travis offered him with a small smile.  He wasn’t much of a smoker, maybe a cigarette here and there when he was stressed or had been study law with some of his classmates late at night.  With Travis it seemed more like a peace offering, and Wes didn’t really see the point of turning it down.  Besides, he could really use the stress relief.  He watched Travis put his own to his lips and fish out some matches from his pants. 

 

The darker man flicked his wrist and quickly made a flame and lite his, before he offered the small match box to Wes.  Wes quickly did the same as Travis took a long drag from his cigarette and leaned back against one of the train cars.  The two let the smoke linger with the quietness that was in the air.  Wes awkwardly shifted on his feet after a minute or two, wondering if there were going to talk or just stand around, smoke, and act like the whole thing never happened.

 

He was about to open his mouth to say something, but Travis bet him to it.  “I figured you would cave first,” Travis said with a smile after he let out a heavy breath of smoke.

 

“Excuse me?”  Wes asked rather caught off guard by the comment. 

 

“I figured you would eventually get annoyed.”

 

“I’m always annoyed when it comes to you.”  Wes replied sharply, pointedly taking a long breath from his cigarette.  The familiar feel of the smoke and tobacco in his body was helping to ease his nerves.   Travis let out a loud laugh.   “Still I don’t see why I had to be the one to apologize; you’re the one who started the whole argument in the first place.”

 

Travis just shrugged in response.  “I would eventually have gotten around to it.”  Wes gave him a look and the man laughed again.  “It’s true!  I was starting to miss making fun of your horrible card trick skills.”       

 

Wes can’t help but hit Travis in a friendly manner in response.  He rolled his eyes and leaned back against the car beside Travis.  The darker man chuckled beside him.  They let the cool night are circle around them, and they smoke in silence.  Wes watched the smoke they exhaled curl and twist in the air as it was freed from their lungs.  He gave Travis a small nudge when he attempted to show off by blowing smoke rings; Wes just rolled eyes when Travis gave him a pouting luck.       They were three-fourths of the way done with their cigarettes before Travis broke the peaceful smoke filled silence around them.

 

“I am sorry I started the whole thing.”  Travis said glancing down at the dirt at his feet and kicking it around a bit.  “To be fair you did try to stop it, but I guess I was just jealous.”  Travis said with a shrug. 

 

“I figured.”  Wes replied, and he doesn’t hold it against Travis.  His last words still echo in Wes’ head, and Wes really can’t be angry at him.  If anything he was a bit angry with himself for not really listening to Travis’ stories.

 

“Growing up in the orphanage I didn’t really had much, and a lot of the older kids made it clear to me that I was left there because no one wanted me.”  Travis said still looking at his shoes.  “Of course, the nuns and helpers always told me otherwise.”  Wes watched Travis closely, giving him a small smile when the man looked up at him.  “Then you come walking in here with practically everything I wanted as a kid, a family, a girl, and reasonable job all at your fingertips.”

 

“You wanted to be a lawyer when you were younger?”  Wes asked in a slightly teasing tone.

 

Travis gave him a look before a sharp nudge that cause Wes to stumble to the side a bit.

 

“I get it.”  Wes said with a long breath of smoke as he regained his footing.

 

“Shut up,” Travis said with a small smile, “you don’t have a clue.”

 

Wes paused for a moment before he bit back a comment.  “You’re right, I probably don’t, but I know what it’s like to want something else in your life.”  Wes said as he dropped his cigarette on the ground and stepped on it to ground it out.  He shoved his hands into his pockets, and kicking at the dirt.  “I know my reason for leaving isn’t the best, but I wasn’t happy so I just ran.”

 

Travis looked at him for a moment, his blue eyes having a small spark of curiosity in them.  “Are you happy here?”  Travis asked suddenly.

 

Wes freezes at the question.  What he happy in _Sutton’s Traveling Wonder World_? He felt like he fit in a bit more than in the beginning, and he wasn’t exactly itching to leave the train, even though he was only a few wages away from being able to get a train ticket to head home.  If anything he had made a little home for himself.  He got along with the other workers and performers, and he was seeing more of the country than he ever thought he would.  But did that mean he was happy?  Wes knew he was content.

 

“I…” Wes paused for a moment.  “I don’t know.”

 

Travis chuckled to himself as he dramatically looked up into the air.  “I should have figured Happiness was an emotion God forgot to give you.”

 

“Shut up!”

 

“You’re the one who’s never happy!”  Travis grinned out and Wes just glared at him.

 

* * *

Everything returned to normal after their smoke together. Travis started treaching Wes card tricks again, and Wes still failed most of them, but he was improving. They still argued with each other about things, but for the most part they were back to normal. Everyone seemed a bit relieved they weren’t at each other’s throats too much. 

 

Some things did change between them as well.  Wes listened more closely to Travis stories.  He didn’t put up for Travis tales of conquests with women, usually cutting him off with an annoyed look.    However, any stories about Travis childhood were always interesting to him.  Being left on a church’s doorstep is far more interesting than how the first girl he ever kissed looked, at least to Wes.  Travis always had something to say about the sisters who cared for all the children, as well as the two priests who assisted them.  It was something Wes wasn’t used to hearing from people. 

 

The two were also far more comfortable with each other.  Wes use to refuse to change when someone else was in the small room, but he had just grown use to Travis and changed mindlessly.  Travis had always been changed in the room no matter what, but Wes also became less and less uncomfortable with it.  Wes figured it would happen, he found it a little odd with how okay he was with as time progressed.

 

Everything was back to normal, and Wes was happy about it.

 

* * *

 

The circus stopped in Chicago for a week, like it usually did in most apples of the country.  As expected more people filed through their gates then anyone really cared to count.  The big tent was packed to the brim with people, as were the small tents specters were allowed in.   With more people, there were bound to be more people trying to sneak into things, peek, or just generally steal from them.  Not to mention, the hands were lucky if someone didn’t start fighting on night.

 

Chicago wasn’t the first big city Wes worked; there had been New York, Boston, and a few down along the eastern coast.  However that didn’t change the extra amount of work he had to do while they were visiting one.  If he wasn’t working the nightly watch duty, he was expected to wake up at the crack of dawn, eat breakfast, and make sure everything was set for the day’s visitors.  By the time he got back to his room, he was ready to pass out, and to his luck, Travis didn’t bother him when he returned.  Mostly because the man was either asleep, or getting ready to sleep and Wes was beyond cranky.  Still the runaway learned to shove his tiredness and soreness to the back of his mind when he whenever he rose to work the next day.  Wes also learned to sleep every moment he could, there weren’t very many.

 

As the week drew to a close, Chicago was proving to not seem like such a problem.  Nothing eventful seemed to happen, aside from some fights, and one knife pulling.  Other than that, it had just seemed like it was like any other town or city they stopped in.  Wes felt like it was too good to be true.  He remembered reading the papers in the morning with his parents at breakfast, and no of the larger cities seemed like pleasant places to go.  All filled to the brim it seemed with gangs and criminals.  Still most of the hands were still on edge about the city.

 

Of course, the quiet Chicago proved too good to be true, the last night before they tore down, when some minor, want to be gangster and his crew attempted to rob the circus of all the money it was worth.  Of course, it would be Wes’ luck that he was working the night watch that night with about ten other hands.

 

The men weren’t exactly trying to hide their attack on the circus, and came in with smoking guns.  Wes hardly managed to duck behind a stand when someone saw him.  The gun fire no doubt woke up most of the people on the train.  However, Wes had more pressing matters than wondering when help was coming, as someone swing what looked like a crow bar at him.  Wes ducked and weaved, a little impressed with how much his fighting skills had improved since he joined the show.  He managed to land a few good blows to the man’s body, but the man was still a better fighter than him.  All Wes remembered was a sharp pain on the side of his head before falling something hard and blacking out.

 

When he came too, he found himself staring up at the bottom of Travis’ bed.  Confused he attempted to sit up, but his head throbbed and the world seemed to spin a little faster than usual.   Something shifted loudly beside him, and before he felt hands on him.  “Hey, lay back down.”  A voice that he couldn’t connect with a name said softly.  Wes just shook his head, only making himself a bit more dizzy, and grabbed onto whoever was holding him.  “Easy, Wes.”

 

Eventually he registered, Travis was holding him steady, while also trying lay him back down.  “No, I want to sit up,” Wes snapped.  Travis sighed, but helped the lighter man sit up on his bed.  “What happened?”

 

“Someone whacked that pretty little head of yours with a crowbar I believe.”  Travis said with a smile that seemed extra blinding to Wes.  “He was about ready to do you in, before I tackled him.” 

 

“You tackled someone?”

 

Travis just grinned down at Wes in response.

 

The runaway gave a small roll of his eyes, before reaching up to feel his sore head.  He cringed as he touched the sensitive bump that seemed to have a small wound that was sapping over.  His pale blue eyes caught the sight of some blooded clothes on the desk.  Travis must have cleaned his wound while he was out, and judging by the amount of red on the clothes, his wound must of looked worse than it actually was.  That or not all the blood was his, which part of him wished wasn’t the case.

 

“Dr. Ryan promised to give you a proper look over once she finishes up making sure everyone with more serious injuries are okay.”  Travis informed him, obviously noticing he was looking at the clothes.  The Illusionist sunk down into Wes’ view. 

 

“Seems fair.”  Wes said with a slow nod. 

 

“I think head injuries are pretty serious, I mean you’re already hard enough to deal with.”  Travis complained childishly, and Wes couldn’t help but chuckle. 

 

“Did they manage to take anything?”  Wes asked in reply.

 

“Not much, Cap managed to scare the living shit out ‘em, and by the times the police came, we had mostly handled the situation.”  Travis said with a shrug.  “Sutton handled it all.”

 

“That’s good to hear.”

 

“What, you didn’t want your head injury to not be for a reason.”

Wes snorted a bit at the complement, glancing at Travis who still had a worried look in his eyes.  A comfortable silence curled around them.  They stayed still for a few moments, just sort of staring at each other.

 

Eventually, Travis tore his eyes away and rose to his feet before heading to the door.  “I should probably see if I can find Dr. Ryan and tell her you’re awake.”  Wes nodded, bracing himself as his dizziness returned a bit for a moment.   Travis moved to the door, and slid it open.

 

“Hey Travis,” Wes said before Travis stepped out the door.  The darker man turned to him.  “Thanks.”

 

“Don’t mention it.”  Travis said with a wide smile.  “The circus sticks together.”  He added before his stepped out the door, “I’ll be back soon.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is so much fillers it hurts.


	9. Familiar Faces

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Same familiar faces stumble upon Wes and his new life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, apologize, for taking forever to update. I actually haven't written a chapter, but I usually like to say two chapters ahead of readers, but I just decided to screw that plan and go with staying on chapter ahead like I'm going with From Heaven. 
> 
> This story is dying however, and I'm struggling to keep it afloat. Don't worry I'm not going to end it, I've just basically done all the big things I could think of doing and a suck at writing people falling in love. So...I'm going to see if I can wrap this story up as nicely as I can in two or three chapters for everyone. So...yeah.

“Mitchell?”  A voice sounded, causing both Wes and Kendall to stop their work on an old car engine Kendall had salvaged.  She had managed to find it for cheap, the thing hardly worked, but Kendall was fixated on the idea that she could get it to work for an illusion of Travis’ design.  “Wesley Mitchell is that you?”  The voice continued.

 

Wes felt Kendall look at him, and shrugged a bit before turning to see who it was.  Not a lot of people know who Wes was outside of the circus, and Wes was sure he didn’t really know anyone outside of the area of his home and school.  Still the voice was male and it seemed a bit familiar, but he couldn’t place it at all.  The owner of the voice was a lean man, with dark hair and soft features, and a small woman by his side.  Wes blinked at him for a moment and his mind tried to register who it was he was looking.  Suddenly it clicked for him.

 

“Plecher? David Plecher?”  Wes said in a mix of confusion and shock.  The man, David, nodded with a bit of an odd smile.  He remembered David from his law classes.  The man was in the middle of the class smartness wise, just sort of average.  However Wes and him had talked countless times, and studied together from time to time.  It was safe to say, Wes was a little surprised to see him all the way out here.   “What are you doing all the way out here?”

 

“I could ask you the same thing,” David said with a laugh.  “I got a job at a firm in Seattle, it was a bitch to find, but it was worth it.”  David said, and Wes noticed he nudge the woman by his side a little closer.  Wes gave her a kind grin; he could understand why the circus was a fun place to go on a date.    “Wes, this is my babe, Jane.”  David introduced them.  “Jane, this is Wes.”

 

Jane’s face seemed too brightened as she held out her hand for Wes to shake.   He started at her for a brief second before hurriedly wiping his hands on a cloth he had threated through his belt loop.  He took her hand and shook it gently.  She smiled at him, “So you’re the Wes David talks about so much.”

 

“I hope he says good things.”  Wes said kindly

 

“Of course,” David said with a loud laugh and a wide grin.  “You were one of the top students in our class, and you helped me a lot.  It’s hard to say bad things about you.”  Wes smiled awkwardly at him.  “Honestly, though, is this where you disappeared to?”

 

Wes glanced at Kendall who snorted a bit at the comment.  Wes was happy to find she had returned back to her work on the engine instead of standing around and being ignored.  “It’s not that bad.”  Wes replied, and he was telling the truth.

 

David gave him an odd look, but didn’t say anything for a while.  Jane gave Wes a weird smile, before leaning to whisper something in David’s ear and hurrying away.  Wes could still hear Kendall working away on the engine.  Wes couldn’t help but shifted in the silence.

 

“I guess it’s not that bad,” David said after a while, glancing around some things around Wes but not meeting his eye.  “It’s good if you want to get away for a day or two, I get that.  But seriously, Wes, for a whole year?”

 

It hit Wes then that he’s been on the circus train for slightly over a year.  It never occurred to him he had been there for so long, many because he was so busy working the circus to realize it had been that long.  He wrote his parents as often as he could, but Wes knew he wasn’t constant with it, many because he didn’t know when he would be able to write a letter.  But a whole year had past?!  Wes wasn’t sure he was able to contain his shocked expression. 

 

“I wasn’t aware it had been that long.”  Wes said slowly. 

 

David gave him a look for a moment before he shrugged.  “Well , it was nice seeing you Wes,” David smiled out awkwardly.  “You look good.  I’ll let you return too…working on…whatever it is you were working on.”

 

Wes nodded and let David walk away before turning to Kendall.  The young female mechanic was looking at him with an odd look.  Wes waved her off and returned to fixing up the engine again with her.   She giggled a bit for a moment, but didn’t say anything, for which Wes was happy for.

* * *

It would be Wes’ luck that the circus would make a stop in a town just outside of his home in Los Angeles.  Sutton didn’t want to repeat Chicago, even though nothing had been taken, the attack still did a number on the circus for a bit.

 

Wes steadily more uneasy after Sutton announced their stops when they crossed the California boarder.  He debated writing to his parents countless times as the stop grew closer, he wrote them two, but he never sent them.  Part of him did want to see his parents again.  He wanted to show them he was okay, as well as how much the circus had changed him.  He was slightly more built, and he probably looked a little roughed up from time to time, defiantly nowhere close to how he looked when he left.   However, there was still a part of him that did not what to face his father’s wrath.  Even if he father did forgive is childish stupidity for running, he would still be angry he was gone for so long, and in a circus none the less.  Wes also knew if he returned home his parents would probably expect him to return to his old life, and it was clear to Wes that he didn’t want that at all.

 

If anyone noticed Wes’ uneasiness they didn’t say anything.  Travis still attempted to teach him card tricks, Wes was happy to say he had at least been able to master some, but the illusionist didn’t bother him as much as he usually did about it.  None of the performers or other hands uttered any concerned to him, but he had caught a few chatting about it.  Dr. Ryan wordlessly told him she knew something was wrong and her door was open if he wanted to talk about it, Wes just left after that.

 

There was no avoiding it all.  The train stopped just south of LA for a week, and what happened was going to happen.  Set up went smoothly, as did the first few days they were open.  The circus kept Wes busy and he was thankful for that.

 

“Hey, monkey man,” Travis called at him one afternoon.

 

Wes growled to himself, and paused in the process of hanging up some lights.  He glanced down from his seat on the ladder with a frown.  “What do you want Travis?”

 

“Why do I have want something?”  Travis countered and Wes rolled his eyes as he finished tying up the string of lights.  “You know maybe I just need something?”  Wes made a small sound before he started climbing down the later.

 

“You might need something, but you clearly _want_ me to do something about it.”  Wes said when he reached the bottom.  Travis opened his mouth to say something, but then he closed it and looked thoughtfully to the said.  Wes smiled to himself for a moment, wiping some of his sweat from the heat away.  “Please tell me this isn’t some attempt to make me your assistant.”

 

Travis laughed at the comment, looping his arm around Wes shoulder.  “No, man, for that you got to be a doll with long, skinny uprights and a pretty face.”  Travis started as he started leading Wes away from his work.  Wes hardly managed to catch Paek-man’s attention so he could finish the job off.  “Sadly you only go a somewhat descent set of uprights.” 

 

“Thanks for the complement.”  Wes groaned with nudge to Travis’ side.  “Seriously though, Travis, what the hell do you need me for?”  Travis just grinned at him, and Wes really didn’t like where this was going.  “I really hope you broke something.”

 

Travis gave him a hurt look, but didn’t say anything as he led Wes through the circus.  Wes had a feeling Travis was trying to hide something, or worse from _someone._   He really wished the darker man would drag him into his affairs so he could hide behind Wes, because there were better things for Wes to do with his life.  At the same time, Wes really wondered if something was broken.  Travis could more than fix it himself; the illusionist had proven to be rather handy.  Still Wes had seen Kendall working with Jonelle, the show’s knife thrower, and he knew Travis avoided her like the plague. 

 

“Wes?!”  A female voice said in shock, and Wes immediately recognized it as Alex.

 

He froze in his strides and ducked out of Travis’ hold.  “Alex?!”

 

Wes whipped around to find Alex standing there with a shocked expression on her face, and an even more confused man standing behind her.  The two just stare at each for a while in shock.  Alex hasn’t changed much, her hair is maybe a bit shorter, but she was otherwise the same.  She blinked for a moment and seemed to try to collect herself so she could grasp what was going on.

 

“What are you doing here?”  She asked quietly, like someone she knew might hear.  Her tone had some bite to it, but at the same time there was a sense of curiosity and surprise.

 

“I work here…” Wes slowly, unsure of how she would take it.

 

“ _This_ is the traveling train job you mentioned.”  Alex practically gasped.  She gave Wes a bit of a wide eyed expression, like she really wasn’t trying to judge Wes’ life choices, but there was a part of her that couldn’t help it.  She just swallowed and collected herself again.  Wes can see she’s already a bit torn on what to think about the whole thing.  “Well, it’s not what I expected.”  Wes can’t help but shrug a bit; it wasn’t what he expected either.

 

A cough sounded behind, causing Wes to jump a bit.  He turned to find Travis giving him a raised eyebrow.  Sometimes it just seemed like Wes couldn’t get away with some things.  He turned back to Alex, but she’s already glancing curiously at Travis, who gave her a kind grin.

 

“Uh, Alex, this is Travis, he’s a co-worker of mine.”  Wes said motioning to Travis who just came right up to their conversation.  Wes can’t help but notice the man slowly inch closer to the conversation as well.  “Travis, this is Alex—”

 

“This couldn’t be _the_ Alex I’ve heard so much about.”  Travis said with a wide smile and a raised eyebrow at Wes.  Wes grumbled a bit to himself at Travis actions.  “Travis Marks,” Travis said holding out his hand for Alex to shake, “I’m the Illusionist here, as Wes failed to mention, as well as the his mentor and—” Wes cut Travis off by sharply hitting his side,  feeling a bit satisfied at the grunt the man made.

 

Alex smiled at Travis with a slightly weird look to his face, but she took his hand gave it a small shake.  “Nice to meet you,” Alex said with a kind smile.  “I wasn’t aware you wanted to be an illusionist.”   Alex turned to Wes with a clearly forced smile.

 

Travis burst out laughing at the comment, causing Wes to shot him a sharp glare.  “I didn’t—I _don’t,_ Travis just doesn’t know how to properly answer a question.”  Wes assured.  “He stubbornly insisted.”

 

Alex made a let out a confused breath through a smile, before she nodded like she half understood.  Wes isn’t completely sure he wanted her too, because Wes obviously could have stubbornly insisted he didn’t want to learn.  It still doesn’t really change the fact that Travis was teaching him something that was ultimately something Wes use to consider a childish waste of time.  Now he had a completely different view point on the art, more than his family would probably care to know about it. 

 

The man she was with neared, carefully wrapping an arm around his and asking if there was anything wrong.  Alex just patted at his chest and whispered something about food and the man nodded and left, giving both Travis and Wes an odd look.

 

“Who was that?”  Travis asked curiously, and Wes elbowed him in the side.  Travis returned the favor, but walked off to the side with a few grumbles of, “shut up, you want to know too.”

 

Alex gave a small weak laugh, and pushed some of her hair behind her ear.  “Sorry, this is all just a bit odd.”  Alex gave a bit a nervous laugh.  “I didn’t expect to run into you this way, and to be fair you just vanished one night only to send a letter three months later that said you didn’t know when you were coming back, or _if_ you were coming back.”

 

Wes held up his hand.  He understood, and he wasn’t too surprised Alex moved on.  It wasn’t her job to wait around on the possibility he would return, it didn’t matter what his father said.  He knew his writing had gotten more and more distant from the idea of coming home.  If anything, his letters were a very unofficial way of breaking it off with her without actually putting it into words.  “I get it.”

 

“His name’s Jacob, and helps his father run a tailor shop just a few blocks from the firm.”  Alex said glancing down at the ground.  “He wanted to take me the circus the moment he heard it was calming to town.  He’s a good guy, Wes.”

 

“I believe you,” Wes cut in.  He had a feeling Alex would ramble on, like she tended to do when she was nervous or anxious.  Wes, also, had a feeling of where she was going with her words.  Jacob didn’t vanish suddenly, and he probably didn’t run from his life when it was getting good.  She would passive aggressively list everything Wes basically did to her in his sudden disappearance.  Words that if he heard, he knew they would slice through him harshly.  “To be honest, I don’t think I could be stationary for a while after working here.”  He gave her a small, but true, grin.  “Besides, it wouldn’t be fair for me to ask you to tag along on this.”

 

Alex nodded at him and returned his smile.  She took a step closer and placed a small kiss his right cheek.  “Don’t worry, I won’t say anything,” she whispered in his ear.  She pulled away and she looked slightly less guilty.   It was their official goodbye.  Slowly, she backed away, and Wes gave her a bit of a wave as she turned to run off and find Jacob.    Travis made a sound as he neared Wes again, and Wes looked at him flatly.

 

“She worked for your dad right?”  Travis asked, Wes’ look didn’t falter.   “Good thing you avoided that.”

 

“Excuse me?” Wes snapped confused.

 

“I’m just saying working place relationships are something people should avoid.”  Travis said with a grin.

 

“Because that is clearly the rule you live by.”  Wes retorted with a teasing tone.  Travis gave him a sharp shove in replay, and Wes laughed as he stumbled to the side a bit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so now Alex and Wes are officially broken up, and Wes is a free man. Just kidding. On the bright side though I manage to write some flirting between Travis and Wes.


	10. Dance into a Run

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The circus has a party, and hides from his father with Travis

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, do not expect such a quick update like this for a while. I need write another chapter for From Heaven and update that and go from there.
> 
> Also, if everything goes accordingly for this fic, I just have to write one normal chapter and an little ending one to top it all over. So I'm happy, because I have been struggling with this fic as it grew older which I didn't like because I loved the idea.

The circus always had a sort of party after a long week of shows and performances. Usually it was the night before they finished packing up and left, and it was something everyone looked forward too. They closed down the circus mid-way through the day, tearing down and packing what they could before the sun went down and it all started. Everyone gathered near the train with mix-matched seats and boxes. Lights where hung all around, but they still made a small fires for people to huddle around and talk. Alcohol floated around, and there was always more than enough food being made, even some of the vendors did some cooking. Sutton broke out his gramophone and collection of records, however always playing some record he bought new from the area first. It was all around a party. Everyone danced, ate, and drank into the early hours of morning, all with smiles on their faces.

It was never something Wes saw him really getting into, but he found himself falling right into them. Kendall usually dragged him onto the make shift dance floor and attempted to teach him how to properly swing dance. It was not exactly an easy thing to do seeing as how they all had a little too much alcohol in their system, but it took Rozzelle's and Dakota's help for him to actually do it correctly. Despite every one's two cents about what Wes should do. Now, Wes was a descent dancer.

He let out a breathless laugh as a song came to a close. Kendall smiled at him but let him return to his seat when a younger hand came to dance with her. Wes plopped down on an empty bench, taking the tin cup Clyde gave him with smile. He didn't really care what was in, figuring it was something alcoholic. Wes was already a little drunk, there weren't a lot of people who weren't, a little more alcohol wasn't going to kill him. He kicked the drink back, cringing a bit at the burn and ignore the sound of laughter from another hand's mouth.

The song shifted to another upbeat swing song, and Wes watched the members on the dance floor laugh and smile as they flung each other around. He swayed to the music a bit, before he heard Travis chuckle behind him, and turned to see the illusionist stumble into the cluster of chairs beside him. The darker man took a seat on a low, wooden folding chair.

"Wes, man, finally I found you." Travis said with a wide grin. Wes could tell he was already a bit drunk from the man's posture.

"I wasn't aware you were looking for me." Wes replied back with a slightly raised eyebrow, as he sipped at the liquid in the tin cup.

"What is that?" Travis said perking up in his seat and leaning forward a bit. Wes shrugged, because he honestly didn't know what it was and he didn't really didn't care too much at that point. Travis reached out for the cup, snatching it out of Wes' hand. He sniffed the cup before he too kicked the drink back, shaking his head a bit of the burn. "I don't know what that is either." He said with a laugh as he handed Wes the cup back.

"Was that necessary?" Wes asked looking down at his now empty cup.

"Yes, I was thirsty." Travis said grinning. "You wouldn't let your roommate die of thirst would you."

"You'd probably die of other things before you died of thirst." Wes replied nudging at Travis' leg with his foot. "I wouldn't have to raise a finger to help you if any of them happened to you." He giggled at the look Travis gave him. "So I aside from stealing my drink, why were you looking for me?"

"A guy can't look for his roommate," Travis said. "You know I really don't remember seeing you at these things."

"Usually because you're off pitching woo or something like that." Wes snapped back.

Travis let out a loud crack of laugher at the comment. "Nah, man, I wanted to know if you'd want to dance with me." Wes raised an eye at the statement. "Not a lot of people want to dance with me anymore—"

"I wonder why?"

"Shut up." Travis chuckled pushing back at Wes' foot "You're the only person I haven't danced with at some point in your time here, and trust me, that should be a crime." Wes made an amused sound. "So what do you say?"

"Next song." Wes agreed, watching the grin spread across Travis' lips.

After a couple minutes the song that was playing came to end. Travis practically sprang to his feet and pulled Wes off the bench. Wes was actually surprised and how serious the man was actually being and dancing with him. He dragged Wes out onto the dance floor.

"You know how to dance the girl part?" Travis said grinning, causing Dr. Ryan and Sutton to laugh loudly beside them.

"Travis, I hardly knew how do dance the Swing to being with, what makes you think I know the girl part." Wes snapped back in reply. "More importantly, why do I have to dance the girl part?"

"Because I said so." Travis grinned out just as the sound of the new song started to play.

He didn't give room for Wes to argue the point, quickly moving them into the steps of the dance. Wes couldn't figure out how to step and argue at the same time. It wasn't all too difficult for Wes to figure out what he needed to do, however. He mostly tried to keep his toes out of the way of Travis' feet. It didn't always work, the two still stumbled and tripped over each other, usually when Wes tried to argue that simply because Travis said so was not a good enough reason for him to dance a part he didn't know, but they laughed through it all. Travis didn't let him escape so easily when the other song finished up, holding him tight and flinging Wes into another song.

The music stopped suddenly, in the middle of the forth song they were dancing too. Wes stumbled as everyone came to a halt to turn and see what was the problem, Travis catching him just in time. Someone gave shot in protest at someone who clearly stopped the music. Everyone shifted to see who it was, people rose from their seats.

Someone cleared their throat. "I apologize for breaking up your little…party," a voice said. It was proper and familiar to Wes' ears, be he couldn't place it immediately. "However, I'm looking for someone and I can't do that very well this this racket you call music." A few members of the circus called the person a tin-ear, for the comment, cutting them off sharply.

Wes, however, finally recognized the voice and he felt his blood run cold, as well as, his grip tighten on Travis' shirt. Travis seemed to notice his sudden distress. "Wes?" He breathing out silently so only Wes could here. "Everything okay?"

"No," Wes replied before he pulled himself from Travis' hold and worked his way through the crowd. "No, it's not anymore."

Wes worked his way to just behind the front of the crowed that was forming a circle around the men. Wes instantly recognized his father, dressed in a tailored suit, looking like there were ten better places for him to be then there at that moment. The man had aged a bit, Wes could see his hair was thinning, but he was still the intimating man Wes remembered him to be. There were three other men with him, most likely muscle to make sure nothing happened to him. Though from what Wes could see two of them were dressed in police uniforms.

Sutton worked his way out of the crowd, signaling everyone to hush, and Wes felt Travis ease up behind him. "What's going on Wes?" Travis whispered to him as Sutton started to make a peaceful conversation with his father.

"It looked like my father found me." Wes whispered back, half turning to look at Travis.

"That's your father!" Dakota said a bit loudly beside them, causing everyone to turn and look at the sudden outburst. Wes shot her sharp glare as some of the people parted so his father could see him. She quickly covered he mouth and uttered a small "Sorry, Wes."

"Wesley, finally this is all over." His father said with a grin. Wes can't help swallow at the feeling of being under his father's watchful eyes. "Let's get you home." Wes couldn't produce words, and simply shook his head in protest. "Wesley Andrew Mitchell, stop being childish, you're coming home with me this instant!" His father raged slightly.

"I'm 25, I can make my own choices, and it would be a bit hard for me to go home with you when I'm already at home here." Wes shouted suddenly, watching the rage build on his father's face.

His father seemed to start storming towards him and immediately the people who had parted quickly flattened back into place and hid Wes again. A hand suddenly grabbed his own; he turned to find Travis grinned at him at bit. He quickly pulled Wes away as his father's voice just seemed to rise with others of the circus.

* * *

"I can't believe, I'm hiding from my father in the exact car I stowed away in to begin with." Wes muttered as he collapsed on a large bag of feed.

Travis turned to look at him funny, pulling his attention from the lantern he was examining by the large side door. "The _exact_ one?" Travis asked with a chuckle, turning back to the lantern.

"Okay, maybe not the _exact_ one," Wes admitted looking around and the dark space, the only light was leaking through a small opening they had left in the door. Travis made a sound, causing Wes to turn his attention back to him. The runaway watched as the man rose and fished for something in his pockets. "It's similar to it."

The sound of a match being lit was Wes' reply, and a suddenly light burst illuminated the corner of the car. Wes watched Travis as the light dulled a bit, only to grow again as he waved the match around. The darker man turned around holding up the lit gas lantern, he placed it on the floor by Wes' feet before walking over to the door. "You can't just say that if it's not true." Travis heaved as he closed the door completely shut. Travis grinned at him when he turned around, before strolling over and easing himself down next to Wes.

"What are you a fact checker?"

"No, I'm illusionist who's a little bit buzzed." Travis replied as he pulled out his cigarette container, putting one to his lips, before offering Wes one. "I need some entertainment to pass the time while we're in here."

"You're a real ass," Wes replied taking a cigarette, and snatching the matches form Travis' other hand. He ignored the look Travis gave him, and lit his own, before offering the lit match to Travis. "You know you didn't have to pull me away, or hide out with me."

Travis took a long drag of his cigarette as he nodded. "Yeah, your right, but you have this really annoying away of growing of people." He said blowing his smoke out in Wes' face and grinning. "Besides, who would I teach card tricks too."

"I'm pretty sure you would find someone." Wes said with a chuckle as he nudged at Travis with his shoulder.

"Nah, I could never find someone who sucks as much as you." Travis shot back, laughing as Wes shoved at him.

A silence came to rest, and Wes could make out the distant noise of everyone outside. He was thankful it didn't sound like an all-out brawl, but it still didn't sound good. Travis distracted him with card games after a few minutes, filling the air with random conversation as they waited for someone to give the all clear.

They had burned through three cigarettes and hours of mindless talk till Sutton heaved open the car door and found them asleep next to each other. The older man grinned to himself and slide the door shut, figuring he would wake them in the morning.

* * *

Sutton woke them up at around eight, yelling a very loud call of "Good Morning" that Wes was quiet certain he managed to dig up from his old army days and banging on the side of the train car. Wes groaned at the sound, his head pounding from the alcohol from the night before, not to mention he was too warm and comfortable to get up. Wes could feel something was resting lightly around him; he just wasn't sure what until it pulled him in closer. He opened his eyes and found himself inches from Travis' face. He swallowed uncomfortable, and found himself instantly awake.

"Travis," Wes whispered as he tried to wiggle out of the illusionists hold. That didn't seem to be working well, because Travis just seemed to tighten his hold and groan. "Travis." Wes whispered a bit louder. "Travis!"

"What?" Travis groaned out, bit not once opening his eyes.

"Wake up." Wes snapped back as he started to feel his ears heat up. He had never been this close to Travis, close but not inches, if not an inch, from Travis' face. Travis was a good looking make from afar, up close was no different. Not to mention the scent of smoke and everything Travis was clouding his senses.

"Why?" Travis muttered. "It's so nice and warm right now. Can't we stay like this for a little bit longer baby."

Wes' ears just kept getting hotter. "Travis, open your eyes!" Wes snapped.

He watched as the darker eyelids pulled back to reveal the bright blue of Travis' eyes. Wes watched as they lazy looked at him to widening in shock. Travis arms released him, and they rolled away from each other.

"Come on boys, wake up!" Sutton called again banging again on the side.

Wes jumped a bit, and Travis coughed as he sprang to his feet and straightened his clothes. Wes found himself doing the same, glancing at Travis briefly before both swallowed and looked away. "Coming Cap," Travis called as he picked up the lantern and put it back where he found it the night before. Wes walked to the huge door and heaved it open, blinking at the morning light, and finding Sutton smiling up at them.

"Morning boys, sleep well." Wes looked at anything but Sutton or Travis, and Travis grumbled he hopped out of the car. "I'll take that as a yes." Sutton said grinning as Wes hopped down as well. "Marks go help with tear down, I'd like to talk with Mitchell here for a few moments." Travis waved with look and hurried off towards the crew of people tearing stuff down. Sutton placed a hand on Wes' shoulder and shoved him alone away from everyone. "Looks like you found the reason the universe here." Sutton smiled out.

"Excuse me?" Wes asked.

Sutton made a sound, laughed and then changed the subject.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah, some stuff hit the fan. Wes' father found him and there was so drama. Next chapter makes me a bit said, but it's all good I suppose. Also I love when I manged to wiggle in some flirting without really realizing it.


	11. Parental Company

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wes heads back to his home to see and explain things to his mother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, yeah, I've officially finished writing this story. Two more chapters for everyone. I'm just debating if I should post them now or wait till I finish up From Heaven.
> 
> A sequel of sorts is forming to this in my head, and I really kind of want to do it.

Never in his whole life did Wes ever think he would find the grandness of his childhood home so intimidating. The long drive way and green grass had made him want to just stay in the cab he had ridden in on. Not to mention the cars parked near the entrance of the home told him his mother had guests over. The crisp lines and paint of the giant house glared down at him. The white pillars by the front door seemed like guards that would refuse to grant him access. Wes took a deep breathing, before he exited the cab, giving the driver his fee. He didn't turn to watch it disappear down the drive way.

He took another deep breath and started towards the door, he knew his father wasn't home, which was a small relief for him. He knocked on the door firmly, extremely uncomfortable with everything.

Why in the world had Sutton talked him into seeing his family? After all, Wes had run away from his father the night before. Granted that had be a situation that might not have ended well if he hadn't. Besides he did owe his parents, or at least his mother, a sit down with his new choices. He genially liked _Sutton's Traveling Wonder World_. He had made a home form himself there without meaning too, and for once in his life he was sort of happy with the choices he made, because he was pleasing himself. Something about that needed to be delivered face to face any way. Not to mention, it wouldn't hurt for Wes to collect some of his things.

The front door opened suddenly, knocking Wes from his thoughts. An older maid answered the door, a smile spreading on her lips as she looked him over and recognized him. "Wes," She grinned out, reaching out to hold his face and give him a good look over. "Oh, the little boy in you is all gone. Where have you been?"

Wes smiled at her. She wasn't one of the nannies who had raised him, but he did remember her slipping him treats from time to time around the house. Wes didn't really know or remember her name because he never really learned it. "Is my mother here?" He asked, slightly afraid talking would delay him more and ultimately result in him running away.

"Yes, yes, darling." The maid grinned. "I'll inform her of your arrival, would you like to wait in the library?"

"No, thank you, the hallways fine." Wes said, simply for the fact that if things got bad he could just run out the door.

The maid nodded and hurried down the hallway towards the sounds of women laughing in some distance room. Wes watched her disappear down another hallway. He found himself looking around at the walls of the house. Not much had changed from what he remembered, but it all just seemed ten times grander than before.

A silence settled in the hallway, which did not help he want to turn around run. But then he heard the sound of shoes hurrying down the hall, causing him to turn his attention from the hallway floor up. His mother rounded the corner with a look on her face that bloomed into a smile at the sight of him. He smiled at her, glancing her up and down, she did the same thing to him as well, her face falling slightly. Wes suddenly felt underdressed in the simple worker clothes he had on. Granted he had found his cleanest clothes, he still knew they were dirty and raggedy in comparison to when he first got them.

"Wesley," She breathed out in a greeting as she neared him slowly. "What a surprise, I wasn't expecting you."

That was probably true; he hadn't sent a letter or anything. Wes figured someone at the firm had seen him at the circus one day and told his father. His father most likely didn't tell his mother, either figuring he would surprise her with the sudden return of her son, or he didn't want to trouble her with the idea. Still he grinned politely at her mother as she came to hug him. She smiled happily in return, thankfully seeing past the clothes and obvious lack of cleanliness.

"I was in town." Wes said with a small shrug as his mother started to fuse with his hair like he was a child. "I hope I'm not disturbing anything."

"Oh, no, darling, not at all." His mother said taking his hands into her own and pulling him into the house. "I just have some of the girls over for brunch. I'm sure they won't mind if you join us."

Wes had no choice but to follow his mother. He let out a sigh in a mix of relief and nerves. He was happy she hasn't said anything about calling his father, because that would probably turned hearted quickly. Wes could handle lunch with the ladies, or he hoped he could, and if needed to he could still talk to his mother in private, it was their house after all.

His mother pulled him into small parlor where a small table had been set for the brunch. Three of her friend were sitting there sipping at drinks and lightly exchanging their ideas of who was at the door with each other. Their presence is almost immediately noticed, and all three women turned and grinned at him with a chorus of "Wesley."

"I hope you ladies don't mind if I join you for brunch." Wes said politely, tugging at his shirt in a slightly nervous fashion.

He felt so out of place and not because of the clothes he was wearing, but because for the most part, Wes had abandoned this life, and been on a train for a year. There was a different way of doing things, but he took some relief in the fact that remembered what to do.

Of course, all three women nod, and his mother returned to her seat at the head of the table. Wes sits beside a woman in a light blue dress, who he remembers as Mrs. Nelson. Her husband worked at the firm with his father and the two were close family friends. She smiled warmly as he sat next to her. The other women he recognized to be Mrs. Latimer and Mrs. Williams, friends form his mother's younger years. The two gave him kind looks.

"Your ears must have been ringing; we were just talking about you, Wesley." Mrs. Nelson said patting Wes' leg under the table. "Your mother was telling you last she heard from you, you in the Mid-West."

"Yes, I suppose that was the last time I sent a letter." Wes said nodded, cringing slightly. That had been months ago, and it was nothing more than a quick update about how he was still fine. "I don't get to go into town often so." Wes said as a maid brought a placement for him.

That wasn't exactly the truth, depending on how long they were staying, Sutton allowed a crew member a day to go into town and do what they wished with their pay. Wes, however, was usually too busy trying to catch up on sleep or doing other important things to do it sometimes to worry about sending a letter home. His mother and her friends didn't exactly have to know that.

"What exactly have you been doing?" Mrs. Latimer asked as she finished swallowing a bite of something. Wes rejoiced in the fact he didn't drop anything or stare at her in horror. He sort of expected something like this to happen, he just didn't think it would be so soon. "You're mother said, you managed to find a job on a train, but what do you do exactly?"

"Yes, Wes, you never went into what you did in your letters." His mother said taking a sip of her drink.

Wes was silent for a few moments, carefully placing some of the food on the table on his plate. He could feel all the eyes on him. "It's a lot of heavy-lifting and security," Wes informed biting into a piece of fruit and finding himself in heaven. He hadn't had fruit like this in a while.

"It shows." Mrs. Williams said with a grin. "It's definitely filled you out. Don't you think so Mary?"

"Oh yes." Mrs. Nelson nodded beside him. "Though what happened here?"

Her fingers brushed along the scar on his head from the gang insistent in Chicago. Wes had forgotten about it, sometimes Travis would poke at it and tease him about how it knocked some sense into him. "There was a confrontation in Chicago." Wes said easily. "Someone took a swing with a crowbar."

All four of the women look at him in horror. He doesn't blame them. Wes could fight, but he didn't get into a lot of them. A crowbar was a bit extreme as well, but the whole event in Chicago had been insane, but his injury was minor compared to some of the others. The four woman glance at each other and Mrs. Nelson is the first to get over the shock of what Wes said. She smiled at him and tucked some hair behind her ear.

"Who do you work for?" She asked gently.

"A man named Sutton." Wes replied, he figured they've likely never heard of the name.

Mrs. Nelson, Mrs. Williams, and his mother all nodded at the name, but they didn't say anything. Shifting the conversation to something else, which Wes was thankful for. Mrs. Latimer however glanced at him oddly, like she recognized the name, or knew he was telling the half-truth. Wes tried not to let it bother him, but the older woman kept staring at him, and then he saw it click in her eyes.

"Sutton?" She questioned, causing the three others to turn and glance at her. "As in _Sutton's Traveling Wonder World_? The circus just outside of town?"

 _Shit!_ Was all Wes could think.

His mother suddenly choked on her drink. Her eyes flashing between her friend and her son. "Wesley, is that true?" She asked dabbing at her face and clothes with a napkin hurriedly.

"I think it would be best if we talked in private, Mother." Wes said with a weak grin as he looked down at his plate under her sharp glare.

* * *

It was safe to say that Wes' mother was nearly just a furious with him as his father. Not just because it was childish and stupid thing to do, but she left her friends in another room to chatter and gossip about it. She demanded to know why he was there, if he was leaving the circus, because if that was true all would be forgiven it seemed. She would just turn a blind eye to the fact and let Wes get on with his life. Yet when Wes informed here that he was only there to explain and collect a few things she stared at him in disbelief before she exploded.

"You stupid, childish _boy_ ," She snapped angrily. "How dare _you_! How _dare_ you! Throwing such a bright future away, for what some animals and freak show. Wasting money we put into your education. And how dare you smite your family name." She glared at him, quenching and unquenching her fists. "I excused you, you know, the fact that you runaway, I talked you father out of tracking you down. I figured you need to see the world a little, because you were young and naïve. But I can't do that anymore. Not when you choose this life as a carnie over being a lawyer."

"I _never_ wanted to be a lawyer!" Wes had snapped at her in a rage as well. His mother started at him. "But you never listened because the Mitchells were always lawyers."

"Get out!" She snapped sharply. "Get what you came for and leave. Leave and never come back." She huffed, glaring at Wes as straightened his clothes and headed towards the door of the library. "I'm calling your father."

"Call a car for me as well, as one last nice gesture for you son." Wes said coldly before he exited the door.

He sprinted to his rooms and collected some of the things he figured he would need. Most of it was clothes and some blankets for the colder weather when it hit. He even snatched a few liquor bottles from the cabinet as well. Fancy wines and quality scotches and whiskeys. He figured his father would hardly notice, seeing as how he took them from the back. His mother wouldn't care. Besides, it would be a nice gift for everyone on the train who helped him avoid his father. When he finished packing he bid goodbye to the women, his mother glaring at him from her place at the table.

Wes promised to write, so at least his mother knew he was at least alive. It was up to her to read them or not. He exited the house as a car for him rolled up, followed by his father. Wes simply gave a tip of his hat and slid into the car, telling the driver where to take him.

"You know the circus is closed." The driver said turning to blink at him.

"I work there. Just take me home." Wes said simply, and the driver gave him odd look but drove away. Leaving his father's shouts behind them.

* * *

"The prodigal son returned." Travis said grinned when he entered the room from a long day of tearing down.

Wes glanced up at him from his sorting, and rolled his eyes. Of course, the darker man would say something like that, especially after the day Wes has. He was basically disowned by his family, because he choice something he felt a bit happy doing. Which was completely different form where he was he first ran away. Travis wiggled past him to his side of the room, slipping his shirt off. Wes heard a sudden rustling in his clothes, rolling his eyes at Travis clear invasion of privacy that he oddly wasn't fighting.

Travis let out a whistle suddenly. Wes turned to see him inspecting the bottle of scotch he took. He turned to Wes suddenly, clutching the bottle. "Please tell me you're sharing."

"With the circus, yes." Wes said fishing out some the other bottles for his suitcase and placing them on the desk.

"In the case, they don't have to know this one exists." Travis said looking at the bottle again.

Chuckling a bit, Wes rolled his eyes. "Go ahead keep it; I was going to let you pick a bottle any way."

"You're a saint." Travis said, grinning at the bottle.

"You say that, but in an hour I'll be the devil." Wes said smartly as he stuffed some blankets away. Travis laughed loudly

"I take it the seeing the family went well." Travis said suddenly, causing Wes to turn to him sharply. "I'm not a complete idiot Wes. Your father comes looking for you last night, Sutton talks to you this morning, and you're gone the whole day. The whole circus knows where you went man." Travis but the bottle down is little dresser and crossed his arms. "So everything all keen with your family?"

"Quite the opposite." Wes sighed out.

"What's your story, morning glory?"

"I've been basically disowned by my parents." Wes informed.

Travis made a face, as he nodded in thought. "Now you officially fit into the circus." Travis said with a wide grin. "What do you say we crack this bottle open to celebrate." Wes didn't fight the smile that rose to his lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The ending of this chapter is a little rushed and I don't like it very much. But everything from here on out I'm super proud of. It made me ship Wesvis harder if it helps you...don't worry they romance is coming.


	12. Universal Pull

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Travis and Wes celebrate Wes' freedom

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I finished writing From Heaven, but I probably won't update it till I either start the sequel to this (if I do) or some other fic I've been dying to write.

Travis snatched two cups from the dining car when him and Wes went to drop off the other bottles Wes had stolen from his home. Wes honestly hadn't noticed till Travis pulled them out of his pocket and placed them on the desk in their room. He grinned when Wes asked him how he did it, and pulled some crap about how magicians never reveal their tricks. Wes corrected him with the fact he technically wasn't a magician, and he in fact knew how at least half of Travis' tricks worked because he helped make them work. The illusionist gave him a glare and poured one of the cups into the other as a visual threat he wouldn't share. Wes had rolled his eyes and snatched the bottle away before pouring some into the empty cup.

"Damn, when did you grow a pair?" Travis questioned with a grin as he plopped down on Wes' bed.

"Who says I never had any?" Wes shot back after he swallowed the liquor in his cup with ease. Travis blinked at him for a moment, looking rather impressed. "I climb shit everyone else says is unsafe."

"No, that just makes you crazy." Travis grinned from behind his glass. "But in all fairness, you've taken on some bigger guys."

Wes gave a victorious grin as he poured himself other helping of scotch, Travis held out his class asking for more as well. Wes happily refilled it for him. The process continued as the night grew closer. The train gave a loud whistle to announce its departure about an hour into their drinking, and the sudden lurch forward caused Travis to spill over himself. Wes burst out laughing at Travis reaction, and he didn't even bat an eye when Travis slid of his shirt to "save the alcohol, because that shit was quality."

Travis pulled out his cards as the train started its subtle rocking once it got its momentum going. Wes topped off their drinks again, demanding to know if Travis was going to try and teach him something or gamble him out of his month's pay. The darker man just grinned at him, and denied the fact that he gambled Wes out of his hard earned money. Somehow that turned into an argument about how Wes just really didn't know how to play cards well enough.

At some point they settled and just started throwing cards at each other. Eventually they settled again from that and held card up to their forehead and tried to guess what it was based on what the other was hinting at. It was a childish game, but half the bottle was gone and they didn't really care. Another hour passed before they had managed to go through all the all 52 cards and jokers only after a few repeats.

From there, Travis tried to teach Wes some more card tricks, but in turn ended up failing at even preforming them. Wes laughed at him, finding humor in the fact that after some good glasses of quality scotch Travis was just as bad at cards as Wes. The earned him some cards to the face before Travis tackled him down onto the bed. Wes thumped his head against the wall, but not overly hard, just enough to send him into a fit of giggles as he held his head in a bit of pain. Travis was laughing into his shoulder, still as loud and as joyous as if he was sitting up straight.

"I like the sound your laugh." Travis commented suddenly, his hold on Wes tightening just a bit. Wes made a hummed in reply, glancing down at Travis as he still rubbed the back of his head. Travis turned to look at him, a small smile on his lips as he glanced up at Wes. He gave a sudden snort and buried his face back into Wes' shoulder. "God, I'm so drunk."

"Well, we aren't exactly drinking bathtub gin." Wes chuckled out. "My father always wanted the best. Paid top dollar for crates of the stuff back before the whole depression."

"Such a law abiding citizen." Travis shot back turning back to Wes, who in turn laughed.

"Who was?" Wes questioned.

The darker man chuckled and nodded against Wes' shoulder, before lifting his head to finish off his glass. Wes was rather surprised they hadn't managed to spill any of their drinks. There wasn't much in their glasses to begin with. Wes was careful to always fill it just below half full, and they had been drinking the glasses slower as they proceeded to get more drunk. Still, Wes was amazing he hadn't dropped his glass in shock when Travis tackled him.

He brought his own glass to his lips as Travis finished off his own. He felt Travis eyes on him as he tipped it up for a drink, and turned his eyes to find Travis grin at him. Suddenly the bottom of his cup was being pushed up. "Drink it all." Travis encouraged. Wes does as he was told, swallowing the remaining drink with a drunk ease. "Murder, look at you!"

"Impressed?" Wes grinned out.

"Slightly." Travis said as he took their cups and placed them on the ground, before he leaned on his elbows, but didn't make a move to get off of Wes. "I'm more impressed you left your family for the circus."

"I'm happy here." Wes said with a shrug as he glanced at Travis. "I thought I kind of made that clear last night before we hid in the storage car."

Travis snorted and dropped his head onto Wes' chest. "What made you stay?" He asked when he glanced back up at Wes again.

Wes couldn't place his finger on one exact reason why. There seemed to be a lot of little ones. He had gotten to know everyone and people were nice to him, and they had respected his choices. Granted it took some work, Wes had made a name for himself in the circus. He was the one who climbed things no one else was really willing to, it was to the point where the acrobatics almost talked Sutton into making Wes part of their act. However, the more he thought about a large part of it seemed to be Travis, and he didn't know why. Travis drove him up a wall some times, but there were times when things were just so easy and fluid with him, like in some way they were made for each other, because they balanced each other out. Wes was more willing to loosen up, and Travis started to not fool around as much. Of course, he wasn't going to simply say that to Travis.

"A lot of things I suppose." Wes said with a shrug. "I've gotten to know everyone here, not to mention I like the fact that I can make some chooses here. 'Sides, someone has to keep you from getting into too much trouble." Travis raised an eyebrow. "Jonelle almost murdered you with her knifes for moving the box she kept them in."

"In my defense, it was in the way, and I needed the box underneath." Travis slurred slightly with a charming grin. "But it's nice to know you care."

"Of course, I care." Wes replied. He tapped Travis' nose as his face split into a grin. "You might be a pain in the ass from time to time, but I like you enough. Also, I don't want to get use to a new roommate. I just got use to your snoring a few months ago."

Travis shot him a look. "Asshole."

"Twit."

"Hey, you the one who came back for me."

Wes laughed at that, resting his head against the wall. When he settled he glanced back at Travis, who was watching him with a soft look. It caused the runaway to blink at him in a sort of drunken haze, suddenly trapped in the bright blue eyes. The illusionist smirked at him, before leaning on his elbows more and leaning forward. Wes watched him curiously as he just grew closer, before their lips meet. Wes' alcohol filled brain processes it slowly, but Travis is watching him, and their eyes meet and Wes' body responses.

He surges forward as much as he can from his spot on the wall. His hands flying to Travis' skin and body to grab on for purchase, latching on in fear he might fall and ruin it all. They're bodies shift, he could feel Travis putting a knee down for support, Wes bent a leg as an attempt to have force and sit up more. It didn't work however, Travis slid one of his legs over it. Wes' eyes rolled into the back of his head as he heard a moan escape his throat for some reason he was still trying to process. Suddenly the room's too hot, but more in a manner like Wes' body was on fire, then actual room temperature. The need to get out of his clothes races through his brain as he suddenly felt one of Travis hand run down his side to his waist and pull at his shirt there. He tried to wiggle out of his suspenders a bit, at some point Travis seemed to get the message..

It hit him then that Travis was _kissing_ him, and he _liked_ it. It was hard and rough, demanding even. Yet at the same time, it was firm and rather gentle, with just the slightest bit of alluding affections. Slightly sloppy from the fact that they were drunk, but still like nothing Wes ever remembered experiencing in his life.

They pulled a part slowly in a bit of panting. Wes didn't remember closing his eyes, but when he opened them, Travis is staring down at him. They glance at each for a few moments, trying to see who would break the silence first.

"Damn, that was one honey cooler." Wes said with a breath.

"Yeah," Travis said with a grin and a nod. "I think I'm going to do it again."

"I'd like that." Wes said before Travis dove in, his hands flying to the buttons of Wes' shirt.

* * *

Waking up the next morning had been as awkward and confusing as when Sutton woke them up in the storage car the day before. Only this time, Wes was half way out of his shirt and his pants were loose. Travis didn't even have a shirt, but his pants were loose as well. Still they were…cuddling each other, for lack of a better word, and had some splitting headaches. Some memories from the night before floating to them as they blinked at each other in confusion. They had untangled themselves from each other and could hardly make eye contact for most of the day.

Part of Wes knew what had happened was because of the alcohol they had consumed. They really didn't have complete control over themselves, they're bodies were responding faster than their minds could process. Yet at the same time, Wes knew he scotch was not all of the blame. He had enjoyed it and something about it felt right and amazing, and that hadn't come from the effects of the alcohol. Still it was some new and different, not to mention something that could get him murdered for if he wasn't careful. However, Wes didn't mind condemning himself to that grave the more he thought about it.

Returning that night from set up, they had an awkward exchanging of words. It sounded like they were trying to finishes each other's sentences and failing miserably.

"It's just—"

"You didn't like it."

"No, I liked it, I lot more than I should…it's just…how do I put this…"

"Different?"

"Yes…but no…unacceptable in the eyes of society."

"In case you haven't noticed, this is a circus. We don't exactly care."

"Fair point."

Ultimately in the end, they agreed to give it some time to think it over. Feel out the fact if it was really some universe powers at work, or just liquor messing with their brains. They shock on it and gave each other awkward smiles and good nights, in hopes that they could play it all off. Try as they might, it seemed they failed though. Everyone took notice.

Dakota asked Wes if there was some kind of fight between them, but after give him a look over and just sort of smiled. Clyde apparently had been question Travis about it as Wes learned when Travis came back annoyed. Kendall and Jonelle exchanged looks and whispered to each other after watching a rather awkward exchange of words between the roommates. The Dumonts just chuckled whenever they saw either Wes or Travis. Sutton just kept dropping comments about how Wes finally discovered why the universe lead him to the train and Wes can only bury his head in his hands and hope it hides the blush. Most of the other hands and preforms didn't say anything though; just awkward smiles and weird looks in hope the oddness would go away between them.

Six weeks of thinking, Wes finally came to a conclusion. Maybe the universe had led him to the train for a reason, and maybe that reason was Travis. It, definitely, wasn't all alcohol behind the kiss, no there was something Wes had chosen to ignore, or confused with other things. Travis was infuriating sometimes, that seemed like an easy thing to do. He cared for Travis, though. More than he really should according to the society he was brought up in, but he left that all behind, he lived by a new set of rules now.

Wes grinned as he found Travis on the last day of tear down. They were covered in sweat and dirt, but that didn't stop Travis from swinging his arm around Wes' shoulder as they walked back towards the room. Travis had always been rather physically affectionate towards Wes, though it had demised slightly after the kiss, mainly because they didn't know how to respond to it or even if it was just a friendly-jester any more. Wes was happy to see it was returning to normal again. The younger man chuckled as Travis complained about his day, grumbling about random things as they walk to their room.

"Home sweet home." Travis complained as they reached their room.

Wes snorted as he slid his key into the lock and unlocked it. He turned to Travis as he slid the door open, biting his lips a bit. "So you know the whole thinking thing we agreed on." He said, catching Travis by surprised it seem.

"Yeah." Travis said, and Wes tried not to notice the way his eyes lit up or how he still braced for rejection of some sort.

"I've come to a conclusion."

"And what is it, if you don't mind me asking."

Wes had thought about what he was going to say the whole day. He had run over it in his head countless times throughout the day. Mapped out the ideas and important points. Yet all that came out was, "Screw what society thinks."

Before he knows it, he's being shoved into their room by Travis, who somehow manages to close their door and slam him into the wall by the door. Wes never reacted to a kiss so fast in his life, and he didn't mind what followed after.


	13. Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ten Years Later

_September, 1945_

"You're back…" A familiar voice breathed, knocking Wes out of his examining of the room. Why hadn't he heard the door open? Wes turned to find Travis standing in the doorway staring at him like he's afraid to blink because Wes will disappear if he did. For a second Wes felt like he would. Wes straightened up and tugged at the jacket of his uniform in a slightly nervous fashion. But then he watched the smile blossom on Travis face, and it's ear to ear and something inside Wes' heart burst. "You're back!"

The darker man surged forward like any the small child he was on the inside. It kind of reminds him of all the girls racing towards their service men when they all returned, but Wes banished that thought away quickly. Wes hardly has time to brace himself, but he doesn't fight the hug Travis tapped him in. It's tight and warm, and a part of Wes wonders if Travis will ever let go, part of him doesn't want him too. No one had held him like that in years, and he missed it. He returned the hug full force, giving Travis a good pat on the back as he laughed, before actually embracing him.

It felt so good to be back. Wes had been happy to get back on American soil, even though no one was there to greet him. Disowned by his family, and a type of lover that would get them both killed and disgraced, Wes wasn't expecting much if anything. Still everyone had been helpful. Some kind woman managed to track down Sutton's train, even though she gave him an odd look when he asked her about it.

 _"Why do you want to know where it is?"_ She had asked, politely, of course.

To which he had replied, _"It's my home, ma'am, and I would very much like to go home."_

She had questioned him after that. Of course, he wasn't going to tell her _Sutton's Traveling Wonder World_ wasn't really his home. Well it was, but Travis was his true home, and Sutton's was a good place to start looking for him. Sutton had just directed them to their room saying he'd find Travis for him.

"Yeah, I'm back, Travis." Wes said gently, drawing circles with his fingers at the end of Travis' hair. "It's over now."

A silence settled on them, and Wes is hit by how much he missed Travis. He missed the way he smelled, the way he felt, and the way he sounded. It was amazing he managed to get through a year in Europe on letters alone, before they stopped coming in because he stopped being able to send them. The fury of war became too much, and his platoon was shipped off to the Pacific for a few months as the European field came to a close. It had been a miracle he got through the rest of the war on little things, like a joker from Travis' deck of cards.

They had originally gone to war together. Travis had just barely made the draft and just managed to talk his way into actually serving when the US got pulled into it all. Somehow they had talked their way into being on the same platoon and serving in the same places, which had worked well till Travis got shot in the shoulder and broken his arm. Not as bad as some, but he had still be sent home for it and his age. Wes had stayed and talked Travis into going without too many worries.

 _"They're not going to let you stay Travis. I can handle myself."_ That was what he had said to Travis before he was shipped off back home. That had at least three years ago, and Wes had handled himself. Of course, that didn't mean Travis didn't worry. They had had each other's backs on the battlefield, and he was forced to leave Wes alone. Wes could only wonder how many nights he stayed up wondering what happened to him.

Travis pulled away with a grin, before he socked Wes in the left cheek. "Do you know how worried I got when you stopped sending letters!?" Travis raged suddenly.

"Very, I take it." Wes said, putting a hand to his check. A copper taste in his mouth from the inside of his cheek probably. "Things got busy."

"I thought you died, asshole." Travis continued with a sharp look in the blue eyes Wes missed. "Would it have killed you to write?"

"Possibly." Travis grumbled at the comment, causing Wes to laugh. That only made Travis grumble more, as Wes settled. He rolled his eyes at the illusionist. "I am sorry I made you worry," Wes said with a sigh.

"No you're not!" Travis snapped.

Wes rolled his eyes. "I came back in one piece didn't I?" He was lucky he managed that, Wes knew that. "Here," Wes said digging into the pocket of his uniform jacket, to pull out the joker from its place there. "I believe this goes to your deck."

"Lord, you're such a romantic." Travis said rolling his eyes as he snatched the card out of Wes' hand. "You would keep it close to your heart, even present like you're some prince. You tell the guys some cheesy story about why you have a joker over your heart." Wes couldn't help but snort. "You did, didn't you?" Travis continued as he pulled the other joker out of his own breast pocket.

Wes surged forward, grabbing Travis face and running him into the opposing wall, and kissing him for all he was worth. By some miracle he managed to remember to work the door close some. Travis responded quickly, opening his mouth instantly to Wes' tongue, but he doesn't let Wes in easily. The other man's hands fly under his jacket and groped his ass; Wes' only defense it so push his body against him. He slid right into place, warm and familiar. Wes pulled away with the call for air become too much to ignore.

"I'm home, Travis."

"Welcome back, Wes." Travis smiled. "Now can I get you out of that uniform?"

"Please."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All done. -cries- I'm shipping wesvis ten time harder because of this fic!
> 
> The sequel (which I will probably map out, research, and plan a bit more than this one) will take place between within the ten year time skip. Mainly in the WW2 time frame. So YEAH PREPARE FOR FEELS!


End file.
